Tour of Texas #2: 17 Invitational – Outsides
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One of the most traditional and competitive club volleyball tournaments in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas had its second stop of the season earlier this month in Houston, bringing the top talent of the region to H-Town…
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Continue ReadingOne of the most traditional and competitive club volleyball tournaments in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas had its second stop of the season earlier this month in Houston, bringing the top talent of the region to H-Town for two days of action.
It was a great opportunity to see the elite of the sport in Texas battling it out and Prep Dig was at the FAST Complex on Saturday, where we got to watch all 20 teams that competed in the 17 Invitational division in action. There was a serious level of talent in this group and we’ll now feature the prospects that stood out during the day.
These outside hitters were excellent for their teams:
Ocampo was a key player in the Dallas Skyline 17 Royal team that finished second with five wins and two losses. A very technical and intelligent player, she helps the team in many different ways and it’s hard to see how they would be able to play the same way without her. Ocampo is excellent with her ball control and does a lot of hard work on the backcourt, passing at a very high level and getting a lot of touches on defense. Despite not being among the tallest hitters on the team, the Mexican youth international is extremely explosive and resourceful at the net, having the tools to score in any situation. Ocampo can also impact the game from the service line with her floater.
Highlights
Jameson was one of the players who helped Excel 17 National Red have an extremely productive weekend, which ended with them in third place with five victories and one loss. A tall and physical player, she’s very strong offensively, combining her physical tools with a well-developed set of shots. Jameson was set quite a few times in the middle back position and was very effective there too, seeing the game well and hitting around the block to put the ball down. She was also solid in serve-receive.
Wood and her Areté 17 Navy Telos teammates got to celebrate a solid fifth-place finish, obtained with four wins and one loss. Capable of playing at either pin, she was the team’s main offensive option and kept her efficiency level high during the day. Wood displayed a very complete offensive game and also a very high volleyball IQ, picking the right options to score at all times, and coming up big for the team in key moments of matches. She also handled her serve-receive duties extremely well.
Highlights
With Timme at the pin, Drive Nation 17 – Red returned home with four wins and one loss, finishing fifth in Houston. She formed a strong outside hitter duo with Olivia Cohee Olivia Cohee 6’1″ | OH McKinney | 2025 State TX which was one of the team’s main strengths. Timme displayed a very complete game and was extremely solid on the backcourt for her team, passing at a high level and having great success on defense. When at the net, the pin hitter used her length and power to put the ball down, but also showed how smart she is with her shot selection. Timme kept her calm and good decision-making in big moments and remained consistent for the team.
Highlights
Richter and her TAV 17 Black Jon team finished fifth after they got two wins and three losses in the tournament. A very tall player, she split time between outside hitter and right side duties and was always a reliable scoring option for her team. Because of her high contact point and power, Richter sided out at a good rate and she was also effective at the end of sets. The outside hitter handled the serves that went her way well and also made an impact at the net with her big and aggressive block.
Highlights
A new face with Austin Skyline 17 Royal, Udoye did a good job for them as the team ranked ninth with three wins and three losses. The fact that she was able to maintain her chemistry with setter Isabella Orton Isabella Orton 6’0″ | S Hutto | 2025 State TX , who also went from Texas Fury to Austin Skyline, was very helpful as her offense remained as strong as usual despite the change – she was very efficient hitting from the middle back position. Udoye, who was playing one age group up, also showed she continues to improve on the backcourt as her passing was steady during the entire day. The pin hitter was a factor with her blocking too, getting in the way of opposing hitters and getting some stuffs.
Highlights
The main offensive player for AJV 17 Adidas, Duncan helped the team win one out of six matches to finish 11th. Although the team now has another elite scorer in outside hitter Taylor Gaines Taylor Gaines 6’0″ | OH Liberty Hill | 2025 State TX , Duncan continues to be the centerpiece of their offense and she responded well, scoring at a good rate from the left and the right. She’s very explosive with her approach and makes contact with the ball at a very high point, but has several other options in her arsenal. Duncan was very good at finding difficult angles to hit around the block and was impressively effective in out-of-system plays.