Texas HS Match to Watch: Fort Bend Travis vs. Oak Ridge
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The high school volleyball season is officially on in the state of Texas and during the next four months, hundreds of matches will be played across the Lone Star State until we know the new state champions. Prep Dig will…
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Continue ReadingThe high school volleyball season is officially on in the state of Texas and during the next four months, hundreds of matches will be played across the Lone Star State until we know the new state champions.
Prep Dig will be covering multiple matches every week and featuring the players that stand out the most for their performances over the course of the season, but we’ll also preview some matches that have the potential to be very interesting ones.
The non-district matches are typically used for teams to find their best chemistry and fine-tune their games ahead of the start of district play, but some encounters will be very exciting ones. Here’s one of them:
Fort Bend Travis vs. Oak Ridge – August 10, 7:00 PM – @ Travis HS
Players to Watch:
Kate Cardona
Kate Cardona
Travis’ second-best scorer last season, when she was a sophomore, Cardona will be asked to play an even bigger role with the team in 2023. A very technical and consistent outside hitter, she is a very complete player, who contributes in more than one way to the success of her team. Cardona is extremely strong with her passing and defense, adding a great deal of stability on the backcourt, but also knows her way around the net, using her skills and vision to beat blockers and defenders and score points.
Ava Williams
Ava Williams
After sharing the setting duties with senior Kacy Perkins last season, Williams will likely run Travis’ offense on her own in 2023. A very technical and cerebral player, she gets her teams going with very smart ball distribution and accurate setting, even when out system. Williams moves really well on the court and is very good at tracking passes and turning broken plays in hittable sets. The setter is also a solid server and works hard on defense on the right side of the backcourt.
Jayla Buford
Jayla Buford
Buford played an important role off the bench with the Lady Tigers in the second half of the last season and will have a bigger role in the team’s offense this season. Very long and athletic, she’s also extremely versatile and is capable of playing on the left and the right. She has excellent reach in her offense and mixes things up well, going from hard-driven swings to tips very smoothly. Buford is also a solid blocker can contribute on the defensive side of the game with that too.
After recently committing to Jacksonville, Oguntimehin will lead Oak Ridge in the upcoming season with her play at the net. Very physical and athletic, she can dominate games on both sides of the ball and will need to do it for the War Eagles in their next campaign. She can hit several sets down the middle, including some unusual ones, and will play a big role offensively for the team. Her blocking is very tall and intelligent and can also be a factor in matches.
Highlights
Oak Ridge’s leading scorer in her freshman season, Santiago has the potential to deliver even more as a sophomore. She had a strong club season with TAV Houston and has emerged as an interesting outside hitter in her class. Santiago is not very tall, but jumps well and is very quick on the court. Her great mobility and strong technical skills make of her a very smooth player on the court as she makes all of her actions in a very straightforward and efficient way. Santiago is a solid player on both sides of the ball and also helps with her passing and defense.
Bradi Rhodes
Bradi Rhodes
Rhodes is set to start her second season as Oak Ridge’s starting setter and she had a solid sophomore campaign last season. The junior setter has excellent hands and remains precise regardless of the situation. She makes good decisions with her ball distribution and often puts her hitters in strong positions to score. Rhodes likes to set against the flow of play and is always very accurate when she does it. The setter also plays very good defense.