Top Three 18U Teams in Ohio

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#1 [program_tooltip program_id='430852' first='Tri-State' last='Elite'] 18 Blue</strong><br>With an 18 Open bid earned this past weekend at MEQ, this squad continues to roll through the club season. In addition to their 5th place finish in Indy, they also earned a 3rd place finish at Bluegrass while claiming the title at the Central Zone event earlier. They were 8-1 overall this past weekend with a 17-2 set record while playing some of the most dominant volleyball throughout the weekend among the top teams. They feature a collection of the best talent in the greater Cincinnati area, several that will be taking their talents to DI college programs. Included on this roster are members of the DII state title team in Mercy McAuley. Pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='139276' first='Sophia' last='Adkins'] (Providence) is one of a few arms that can contribute point scoring in bunches. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='114574' first='Maria' last='Drapp'] (Bradley) has led this team's offense for a while and is seemingly benefitting from more depth in her options this season. Also on the pin is [player_tooltip player_id='114600' first='Faith' last='Young'] (Western Kentucky), one of the heaviest arms in Ohio. [player_tooltip player_id='114568' first='Addy' last='Brus'] (St. Louis) has some of the biggest lift and helps to comprise a lethal corps of pin attackers. In the middle is <strong>Anna Guard </strong>(Eastern Michigan) and [player_tooltip player_id='114573' first='Molly' last='Dorger']. The ball control and defense is one of their best attributes and balances their offensive production well to make this a complete effort each match. [player_tooltip player_id='114590' first='Kelsey' last='Niesen'] (Xavier) has had one of the best prep careers over the past few high school and club seasons and combines with [player_tooltip player_id='114578' first='Dakota' last='Henry'] (Rhode Island) and <strong>Alexis Woolf</strong> (Eastern Kentucky) in the back row. Henry was the libero for Kings for the past few seasons which resulted in a Division I Ohio state title this past fall. Look for them next at the JVA World Challenge in Louisville in mid-April.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#2 Mintonette m.81</strong><br>This is a team with great length at the net through all rotations. They qualified to the upcoming 18 Open GJNC earlier this club season in Florida with a 3rd place finish. They followed up that performance with a 2nd place finish at the Ohio Valley 18U qualifier. This is a seasoned group with several top prospects from the greater Columbus area. The setter is [player_tooltip player_id='139283' first='Kaylee' last='Musick'] (Florida International) who at 6'1 has some of the best size at this position among all Ohio setters. She runs a good offense that includes great options in all phases of the game. [player_tooltip player_id='139282' first='Lily' last='Barron'] (Houston) is 6'2 and a tough match up for most teams with her length and contact point. Also contributing on the left side well is AnaCate Loftus (USC Aiken). At the right pin is 6'4 opposite [player_tooltip player_id='139286' first='Becca' last='Wight'] (Virginia) who along with Musick helps sustain a big presence defensively against opposing left side attackers. In the middle is [player_tooltip player_id='213214' first='Hattie' last='Welker'] (Eastern Michigan) and [player_tooltip player_id='139284' first='Grace' last='Thomas'] (Central Michigan), both over 6'0 and very capable of scoring to help balance the defense they provide from pin to pin. [player_tooltip player_id='114571' first='Madison' last='Cugino'] (Gonzaga) has great all-around skills and plays the part of libero with good range and impact. She has also provided a solid effort as a pin hitter when needed for this team over her club career. This group most recently finished 13th overall at MEQ in Indy and will next compete in Louisville in April. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>#3 Rock City 18-1</strong><br>With a 6-3 record at MEQ, [program_tooltip program_id='431573' first='RockCity' last=''] had a respectable effort in their most recent outing. They previously went unbeaten to win the OVR 18 National bid to the GJNC and have tools to be competitive with the best 18U teams, which was evidenced by some close calls in Indy. [player_tooltip player_id='169125' first='Katie' last='Sowko'] (Wright State) is their biggest threat offensively and a great one at that as she knows how to score. She recently completed a high profile high school career with another state title for Lake Catholic. [player_tooltip player_id='349123' first='Niyah' last='Lester'] (Ball State) is a physical middle and burst onto the recruiting scene last season. She is explosive and has the ability to get above the net to defend and put some good heat on the ball with her arm. Pin hitter <strong>Riley Rosneck</strong> (IPFW) is 6'0 and balances Sowko well with point scoring capability through varied attack points and tempos as all of these attackers benefit from the ball control and fast options off of the hands of setter <strong>Maddie Luciano</strong>. [player_tooltip player_id='139301' first='Maria' last='Flynn'] is another pin that can score as she has one of the most aggressive arms on this team. She gets her feet to the ball well and gets her opportunities through a variety of options. Emma Blankenship (American) is a dynamic 6'1 middle that has great physical tools on both sides of the ball. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='189564' first='Ellie' last='Burke'] is a steady factor in the first-touch aspects as she reads and reacts well throughout the flow of points. You can also catch this team in Louisville in April before heading off to nationals in Baltimore at the end of the month. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->