FAST Pre Nationals: 16s – Outside Hitters

With the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship less than a month away, preparation tournaments are taking place all over the country and a big one happened in the Houston area last week, the FAST Pre Nationals.   Hosted by the traditional club [program_tooltip program_id='431166' first='Houston' last='Juniors'], the event reunited 90 teams from the area and beyond for two days of action as clubs finalize their preparations ahead of the trip to Las Vegas.   <ul> <li><a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/06/fast-pre-nationals-16s-photos/">FAST Pre Nationals: 16s - Photos</a></li> </ul>   Prep Dig was in attendance on Saturday, following the eight teams that competed in the Power Pools of the 16s division. There was a lot of talent on display and we'll feature some of the players who shone during the day, this time looking at the outside hitters:    Koonsen was one of the reasons why her team dominated the division with seven wins and one set lost. She was extremely efficient offensively, combining her length with good technical resources and great decision-making. Koonsen used her reach well to beat blockers and score but was also smart to use tips or tool the block in difficult situations. She was set very often and consistently delivered, even in moments of pressure. The outside hitter also contributed on the backcourt, being reliable with her passing and making plays on defense.      Ceaser and her [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] TW 16 Royal team ranked second in the tournament, getting four wins and three losses. Very explosive and mobile, she was one of the team's most important offensive weapons. Besides fully extending her arm to swing and making great use of her length, Ceaser also displayed great versatility, hitting with tremendous efficiency from the left and from different spots on the backcourt - the middle and the right. The pin hitter was also very active when playing defense and had good moments from the service line.      Hiber and her Texas Legacy 16 Elite teammates registered two wins and four losses over the weekend, finishing in third place. A powerful hitter, she played a big role in the team's offense and was very productive for them. Hieber impressed with her heavy right arm and was very difficult to stop when hitting angle - when well-marked at the net, she would use her power to tool the block and put the ball down. She also handled her defensive duties well, passing well and generating transition opportunities on defense.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/IMG_5744.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-551963" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">AVA TX 16 Adidas vs. Texas Legacy 16 Elite</figcaption></figure>    Garrett saw her Texas One - 16 Royal team finish ninth with two wins and three losses. She was a solid offensive weapon for them, making contact with the ball at a high point and swinging with power. Garrett gave the team some offensive consistency with her solid decision-making and proved to have the power needed to score even in difficult situations. She was also very reliable with her passing and played solid defense, besides contributing with her blocking.      Harper's AVA TX 16 Adidas team had a tough week, ranking 13th with one win and four losses, but she still managed to show good things, especially at the net. Extremely physical, the outside hitter was a solid scoring option for them, swinging with power to put the ball down. Harper was excellent when hitting a quicker set at the pin and did a very good of finding gaps in the block to put the ball down. She also had a strong blocking presence at the net, getting some stops and creating problems for opposing hitters.

With the USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship less than a month away, preparation tournaments are taking place all over the country and a big one happened in the Houston area last week, the FAST Pre Nationals.