Five 2025 Liberos Trying to Raise Their Ranking

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the Class of 2025, liberos have had to go up against some outstanding hitters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That has only made the defenders stronger.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this class, there's a lot of talented liberos that deserve a little more credit for their play. Here's five that are working hard to raise their spot in the class rankings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='288948' first='Lexi' last='Armstrong'], Hudsonville/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Though she can also play setter, Armstrong has been great as a libero for FaR Out 17 Black this club season. Armstrong is very agile in the back row and able to make some difficult digs through her quick decision-making. Her first contact has been at a high level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156289' first='Jillian' last='Collins'], Mercy/TVC</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Part of the Toledo Volleyball Club, Collins is excelling as the libero this club season. A 6-foot libero that has the skills to be a hitter as well, Collins brings a lot of unique intangibles to the position. She's got length to cover a lot of ground, but she's also got the athleticism to use her length to her advantage. Collins is able to take on back-row attacks when needed as well. She's a dynamic defender with a high upside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156282' first='Jessica' last='Lee'], Skyline/L2</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lee is playing up in age level this club season with L2 182. She plays with a lot of maturity and poise in the back row, so she's handling the challenge well. Lee has an explosive first step, which allows her to cover a lot of ground and make an athletic sprawl to get to the ball. Lee should be one of the stronger liberos this upcoming fall, as she's proven she can handle some of the top hitters in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='288961' first='Mallory' last='McFarlane'], Saline/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McFarlane has really raised her game in the last year. She's playing with a lot of confidence in the back row and from the service line right now. She's always putting herself in good position and stays very engaged in the play. McFarlane is set for a big fall season with the experience she's been tacking on this club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='482158' first='Audrey' last='Thummel'], Notre Dame Prep/Michigan Elite</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thummel has been a dig machine for Michigan Elite 17 Elite this club season. That's not too much of a surprise, as defenders from the NDP program have been among the best in the state for years. Thummel shows that same well-coached skillset while playing with a lot of determination. She is going to make sure she plays her role to the best of her ability on every point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->