Unsung Heroes of the WIAA State Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I love highlighting the 'unsung heroes' of volleyball. These are the players that are typically defensive or serving specialists who perform at a high-level time and time again but maybe don't get all the accolades of a 6-rotation player. Their role on the team is absolutely essential. Here are some of the unsung heroes of the state tournament. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["144911"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Ava shined at the state tournament. She is an energizer and can get the whole crowed amped. She is a very talented setter in her own right, but played right back defense opposite 5-1 setter [player_tooltip player_id='246946' first='Jordan' last='Czajkowski']. Ava has a rocket of a serve and a lot of experience playing in that defensive position. In the championship match, she had 10 digs and 2 assists.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["181737"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Nadia is a serving specialist for DSHA and has been so for both of their state championships. She is consistent yet powerful with her serve and rarely makes an error. She also provides that extra insurance in having a defender in the back court at all times.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["284069"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Lizzy is a sophomore setter that played in the state tournament as a serving specialist for the middle. Lizzy served in some key moments for Oconomowoc and was able to consistently put a very competitive ball in bounds. She also got several digs and was impressive as a defender. Lizzy is an athlete I am sure we will see more of in future years, but she got some great experience on the court this season in a very important role.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='478785' first='Lydia' last='Koshuta']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Appleton North ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Lydia is a setter and defensive specialist who played right back for Appleton North throughout the tournament. She is a talented server and defender and picked up a lot of balls in coverage and defense. Lydia has solid court awareness and was disciplined in getting great touches and defending the back court.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Teagan Mallegni","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"32925","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"McFarland","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Teagan is a very high-level athlete. She is committed to Iowa for basketball and her competitiveness and athleticism shined on the court. She took some big and powerful swings throughout the tournament and, while she didn't get the most attempts on the team, she absolutely used every opportunity she had. She is also a naturally talented blocker who put up great stops at the net.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["236236"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Ali is a well-rounded athlete who is a pin but played as a defensive specialist for Xavier. She had some great pick-ups on defense and was always ready in coverage. Ali is a competitive server and a consistent force in the back row.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"Bailey Olson ","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"32925","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Saint Croix Falls","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Bailey played on the right side for Saint Croix Falls in their state championship run. She is another player who maybe did not get the most attempts on the team but executed on the sets she did get. She had four kills, hit 0.286, and had two blocks in the championship match. She was always ready to earn points for her team and played a key role for the Saints.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"Brianne Vandoske","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"5'4u0022","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"Howards Grove","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_7_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_7_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"Brianne played right back defense opposite 5-1 setter [player_tooltip player_id='122498' first='Kamryn' last='Kaminski']. She made some big pick-ups and was fearless in the back row. In the championship match, she had 7 digs and numerous touches in coverage. Brianne is a player to watch on this Tigers squad.","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":8,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-655266f293b2d"} /-->