Houston Open 2023 – Standout Right Sides
One of the biggest private high school volleyball tournaments of the season, the Houston Open 2023 was held last weekend at the Houston Skyline club, reuniting 24 of the best private school teams in the region for two days of…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of the biggest private high school volleyball tournaments of the season, the Houston Open 2023 was held last weekend at the Houston Skyline club, reuniting 24 of the best private school teams in the region for two days of competition.
Prep Dig was in attendance on Friday and we got to see some really exciting prospects on the court during the day. We’ve been taking a few days to recognize the players who had great performances and these right side hitters were a big part of the teams’ success:
A new face with Concordia Lutheran in 2023, Herndon was immediately placed in the team’s rigth side slot and produced well during the tournament. A very strong offensive player, she had great efficiency with her potent swings and also made some very good decisions at the net, displaying a very high volleyball IQ. Herndon was consistent throughout matches and also did well with her blocking. She played with great energy and her attitude on the court had a very positive impact on her teammates.
Highlights
Rowan Haecker
Rowan Haecker
A right side/setter combo for St. Agnes Academy, Haecker was easily one of the team’s most important players in the tournament. She strongly contributed on both sides of the game and was one of the Tigers’ cornerstones over the weekend. Her setting was always accurate and her ball distribution was intelligent, getting the hitters in good positions to score. Offensively, Haecker used her technical skills and her excellent vision to score, especially when out of system. She made very few errors overall and still picked up some digs and served well.
Genevieve Alcorta
Genevieve Alcorta
Another player who doubled up as right side hitter and setter, Alcorta had excellent production with St. Andrew’s. When setting, she moved really well on the court and was very precise with her locations, keeping the team on a good offensive rhythm. Alcorta used her long frame extremely well offensively, making contat with the ball at a high point and finding interesting angles to avoid blockers and keep her swings away from defenders. She also made some strong defensive plays, showing good agility and reaction speed to get to the ball.
Amabel Ajakaye
Amabel Ajakaye
The explosive Ajakaye was the main standout in her Village School team. Playing on the right, she used her tremendous athleticism to beat blockers and score points. Despite not very tall, she gets off the floor very well and swings with power, challenging even the strongest blockers that stood in her way. A lefty, Ajakaye was also capable of finding good angles and making tricky plays from the right, using every available option to score. She also set on some rotations.
Emma Guild
Emma Guild
A middle blocker converted to the right, Guild had a good presence at the net with Houston Christian. Blocking was probably the most interesting aspect of her game as besides being capable of putting up a big block in front of opponents, she also read the game well, taking up the right areas of the court and making moves with her long arms. Offensively, Guild seems to still be adjusting to her new position and to the higher sets. Even if she still can’t put a lot of power in her swings, especially when in transition, Guild used her length well to overcome blockers and put the ball down.