FAST Pre Nationals: 16s – Setters

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, starting with the setters:    Molina led Houston Stellar 16 Elite to a nearly-perfect campaign of seven wins with just one set lost, which took them to a first-place finish in the division. Very technical and intelligent, she did an excellent job running the team's offense and was a key factor in their dominant performance over the weekend. When in system, Molina was very creative, moving hitters around and creating easy situations for them to score. She kept things simpler when working with passes off the net, prioritizing the precision in her sets. The setter also contributed from the service line, having some good serving runs.      Pierce and her H Skyline The Woodlands 16 Royal team finished second in the tournament with four wins and three losses. A very quick and mobile setter, she floated around the court with ease and was excellent at getting to the ball. Pierce used her middles as much as she could, showing an interesting repertoire and great chemistry with them, and was extremely precise with the location of her sets. She was also very active on the backcourt, had good serving runs and getting several touches on defense.      Srubar was the setter of the [program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados'] 16 Adidas team that ranked third in the FAST Pre Nationals with four wins and two losses. Splitting her time between setting and hitting duties, she also contributed with her passing and defense and was possibly the team's most important player over the weekend because of how she helped in different areas of the game. Srubar played her role as a setter with great efficiency, remaining calm at all times and doing a great job with her distribution. Her offensive game has been growing a lot and she was very explosive and effective hitting from the right and the left.      Boatman and her Texas Legacy 16 Elite team got two wins and four losses over the weekend, finishing third. A setter with a good combination of physical and technical tools, she was very good at feeling the game and making and basing her distribution on what her team needed. Boatman was very efficient at using the middles and very precise when she decided to set against the flow. Also a dangerous server, she played a major leadership role with her team, communicating and pushing her teammates on the court.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/IMG_5761.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-551965" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">AVA TX 16 Adidas vs. Texas Legacy 16 Elite</figcaption></figure>    Dylla was one of the players who stood out in the Texas One - 16 Royal team that ranked ninth with two wins and four losses. A very technical and creative setter, she created all sorts of difficulties for opposing blockers with the fast-paced offense she ran. Dylla also stood out on the backcourt, sending tricky serves across the net and generating transition opportunities with her defense. The setter took on hitting duties at some moments during the day and did a good job with her swings.

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.