Countdown City Classic: Five Liberos to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most traditional end-of-year club volleyball tournaments in the state of Texas, the Countdown City Classic will be held in San Antonio this coming weekend, from Friday to Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It will be a massive event, with as many as 483 teams from around the Lone Star State competing in 16 divisions from U11 to U18 at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Open divisions will be particularly strong, reuniting some of the most talented prospects in Texas and as we get ready for the start of the action, let's take a look at a few names that have what it takes to stand out from the competition. These liberos will be tough to score on.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='534393' first='Sophie' last='Gomez']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Magnolia","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='431166' first='Houston' last='Juniors']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Gomez has been starting at libero for HJV 15 Elite this season and has been a solid contributor to the team in the early days of their campaign. She's a tremendous defender, who does an excellent job of reading the block and getting positioned to get to the balls that make it past it and displays excellent ball control. Gomez will frequently deliver pinpoint passes and digs to her setter, and, when she can't get full control of it, she'll at least keep them in play. The libero also makes an impact with her tough serving.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba8fdcd"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17157221/65773f3f664bdf12241266e5' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba8fe74"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Brianna Espinoza","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32926","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Alexander","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='431254' first='San' last='Antonio Juniors']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"A dynamic defender with impressive reflexes and confidence, Espinoza has been working hard on the backcourt for [program_tooltip program_id='431254' first='San' last='Antonio Juniors'] 16 Adidas. She moves very quickly on the backcourt and is almost every time in the perfect spot to make plays in her zone. She has an interesting approach when defending angle at the left back spot, starting closer to the center of the court and then moving back to the line. Espinoza is always very calm and is also an asset from the service line.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba8ffc0"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18942809/64a6aee8d4684b0e107218c7' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba8ffe3"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["251508"],"_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":"Cotten switched clubs this season, going to the new MoCo Mavs, and immediately became the starting libero in their 17 Red team. The libero transmits a lot of stability and consistency to the team with her solid play on the backcourt and helps the team remain in rhythm with her contributions. Cotten has an impressive defensive range and works hard for every point, which makes the task of scoring on her a very difficult one. 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She has everything one would want in a libero as she reads the game well, is quick to react and incredibly gifted from a technical standpoint. Vigil also adds to the team with her determination and fighting spirit, which very often positively affect her teammates.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba900b6"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/17306944/658177d0dfd96d0cd422f946' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba900d3"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["194169"],"_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":"A defensive stud for STVA 18 Mizuno, Avendano is extremely productive on the backcourt. The libero is electric and gets a lot of touches at the left back position, displayed impressive agility and superior ball control. Avendano also looks to play the game very relaxed, which helps her deal with pressure. Besides getting the job done in great fashion on passing and defense, she is also very precise when requested to set in transition and never misses on covering her hitters.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-658c2cba9011d"} /-->