H-Town Showdown #2: 16s – Top Setters
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Club volleyball teams from the Houston area had another major event to play this past weekend, when the city hosted the H-Town Showdown #2, which reunited teams from the U15s, U16s and U17s divisions for matches across three venues in…
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Continue ReadingClub volleyball teams from the Houston area had another major event to play this past weekend, when the city hosted the H-Town Showdown #2, which reunited teams from the U15s, U16s and U17s divisions for matches across three venues in the area.
Prep Dig was in attendance on Saturday, when we went to the FAST Complex, to take a look at the matches in the U16s divisions. It was a very strong field, with some interesting talent, and we’ll take the week to feature the players that stood out and raised their stocks against tough competition.
As usual, we begin with the setters:
Caroline Adams
Caroline Adams
Adams guided AVA TX 16 Adidas to first place in the division with three wins and just one set dropped. The left-handed setter was excellent at running the team’s offense by combining her superior technique and a very creative system, taking advantage of the versatility of her hitters to move them around and create difficulties for blockers and defenders across the net. Adams also did a good job when she had to track passes off the net, getting quickly to the ball and setting with great precision. The setter also had some good serving runs during the day, worked hard on defense and scored some points with her smart dumps.
Drew Merrell
Drew Merrell
The only 15s team to compete in Flight A, HJV 15 Premier had an excellent day, getting two wins in three matches to rank second. Merrell’s accuracy and reliability at setter was one of the reasons why they could battle older and, at times, taller opponents with great success. The setter looked very calm on the court at all times and that was reflected in her playing style as she got the team in a very good offensive rhythm during the day with her tremendous precision. Merrell also did a very good job on defense and stood out as one of the team’s leaders on the court, communicating well with her teammates.
Pushed by a solid setter duo formed by Cross and Channing Low, Katy United 16 Adidas got third in the event, with two wins and one loss. The two split playing time and complemented each other very well, forming, perhaps, the strongest setter duo in the tournament. Despite being very dynamic on the court and precise with her locations, Cross also impressed with the level of energy she brought to the game every time she was subbed in. The setter, who mostly played the backcourt rotations, also served tough, often generating easy transition plays to her side.
Highlights
With Dylla at setter, Texas One – 16 Royal finished fourth in the H-Town Showdown #2 with one win and two losses. A very technical setter, she ran one of the most balanced offenses in the event, keeping all her hitters involved. Besides sharing the ball well among her hitters, Dylla also made sure they were always in a good position to score because of her consistent and precise sets at all times. She also got several digs on the right back position and made an impact with her aggressive serving.
Highlights
Srubar and her Texas Tornados 16 Adidas teammates were fifth on Saturday with two wins and one loss. The setter was one of the key pieces of the team with her ability to contribute in different areas of the game. Srubar was excellent with her playmaking, keeping the team in a good flow and dealing well with passes off the net. A tall and physical setter, she took up hitting duties when at the net, showing interesting firepower, and also contributed with her passing on some rotations.