Houston Open 2024: Setters

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The volleyball season is also underway for private high schools in the state of Texas and some of the top talent in the Lone Star State will be competing in one of these leagues for the next few months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend, most of the top teams from the Houston area reunited for a traditional season-opening tournament, the Houston Open, which was held at the [program_tooltip program_id='510661' first='Houston' last='Skyline'] club on Friday and Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/08/houston-open-2024-photos-pools-1-2/">Houston Open 2024: Photos - Pools 1 &amp; 2 </a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://prepdig.com/2024/08/houston-open-2024-photos-pools-3-4-5/">Houston Open 2024: Photos - Pools 3, 4 &amp; 5<br></a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Dig was in attendance on Friday, when we got to watch 18 different varsity teams in action and now we'll feature some of the most interesting players we got to spot during the day, starting with the setters:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["254241"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66cc936fd84dd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Escobar's steady hands guided St. Agnes Academy to finish first in the tournament with an undefeated campaign of six wins. She's the type of setter that makes her team better with her consistency and intelligent decision-making, keeping all her hitters involved and giving the ball to the right players at the right moments. Because of her technically sound game, Escobar was also a huge asset on the backcourt, coming up big with timely digs. The senior was one of her team's leaders, instructing and encouraging her teammates at all times.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15374725/66cb39e12e2fb8af79f70c91' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66cc936fd8781"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Carolina Lopez","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Pius X","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66cc936fd889f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lopez was the starting setter in the St. Pius X team that ended the tournament with two wins and three losses. She displayed excellent setting hands and great connection with each of her hitters, especially the outside hitters. Lopez's technical skills and confidence in her playmaking allowed her to successfully push some balls to her middles in not ideal conditions, catching opposing blockers off guard. The setter also had good moments at the service line, creating problems for opponents with her floaters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='784114' first='Skyden' last='Glynn']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Rosehill Christian","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='431337' first='Texas' last='Tornados']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66cc936fd891a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A freshman, Glynn showed great promise and maturity leading Rosehill Christian in the tournament - they had one win and four losses. Very creative and precise, she had probably the best setting hands in the event and consistently got her hitters in good positions to score, even when dealing with passes off the net. Despite her young age, Glynn was very talkative and played an important leadership role with the team. The setter contributed some nice digs too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":605274,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/IMG_6865.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-605274" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Rosehill Christian vs. Episcopal JV</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["485531"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66cc936fd895f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Chou played for the Awty International team that got two wins and three losses in the event. She made a big impact every time she came off the bench, adding a bit of creativity to the team's offense with her playmaking. Chou displayed solid technical skills, which helped her operate with passes off the net, and was very confident and crafty with her setter dumps. The setter also did a good job with her serves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Sydney McNeil","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Legacy Prep Christian Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66cc936fd89ce"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">McNeil played a major role for the Legacy Prep Christian Academy side that ended the tournament with two wins and three losses as the team's starting setter. Because of her excellent technical skills and her mobility, she was able to make her sets get to the pin from anywhere on the court. McNeil was very efficient with her ball distribution and used her middles with great success. A solid server, she occasionally took hitting duties when at the net and did a good job with it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":605846,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/IMG_7054.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-605846" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">John Cooper vs. Legacy Prep Christian Academy</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->