Hot Watch Freshman DS/Ls from DMV Showcase

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensive specialists are the last chance a team has to save a point and they are integral to the shift of emotions on the court with that ability at their disposal. I saw some amazing defensive specialists just starting their volleyball careers at the DMV showcase this past weekend. Let's look into what makes them great.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":588971,"width":"156px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"thumbnail","linkDestination":"none","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/IMG_7220.jpg?w=150&amp;h=150&amp;crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-588971" style="width:156px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='587878' first='Delaney' last='Malloy'], DS/L from Flint Hill HS, class of 2028.</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='587878' first='Delaney' last='Malloy']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Malloy is a 5'4" defensive specialist from Flint Hill. Malloy is a super quick athlete and always ready for the play coming at her. She is an intuitive athlete and is great at getting the ball up high enough for the setter to make a play with it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='558212' first='Violet' last='Zimmitti']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zimmitti is a 5'4" defensive specialist from McLean High School in Virginia. Zimmitti is great at tracking the ball and preparing herself for what to do when she receives it. She has a great platform and athletic reflexes that, along with her quick feet, allow her to dig up anything on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='524814' first='Brooklynn' last='Carter']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter is a 5'2" defensive specialist from North Stafford in Virginia. Carter is fast to the ball and always ready to move. She has a great pancake and pops it up to the setter high so it is easy to make a play on the ball. She is invaluable to her team when the going gets rough. She is a very consistent athlete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='587040' first='Soleil' last='Trejo']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trejo is a 5'1" defensive specialist from Colonial Forge in Virginia. Trejo has a great platform, a high volleyball IQ, and knows where her opponents are coming from with the ball. She has great intuition and anticipation for the next thing coming her way, allowing her to excel on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Corrine Boise</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boise is a 5'3" defensive specialist from James Hubert Blake High School. Boise is low to the ground and super athletic. She has a great platform and impressive speed and positioning. She tried so hard on the court to give her best at all times and impressed me at the showcase.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='523160' first='Lily' last='']_Atangan</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Atangan is a 5'2" defensive specialist from Forest Park, Virginia. At the showcase, there were these super fast series of plays that showed off Atangan's fantastic athleticism and fundamentals. She is super consistent on the court and a communicator on her team. She has a great serve and covers behind the block exceptionally well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='625576' first='Charlotte' last='Aus']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aus is a 5'4" defensive specialist from Sandy Spring Friends School. Aus is a very determined and effective ball-handler. She will follow it no matter where it goes. She has quick footwork, a great platform, and great digs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='587028' first='Evie' last='Cummins']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cummins is a 5'3" DS/L from Colgan, Virginia. Cummins is a consistent athlete with great skills on the court. She was so good at getting the ball to her setter and her digs were on inbound balls all the time. She has a great sense of the court dimensions and uses that well in her play. She was anticipatory in her positioning on the court as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='587034' first='Mackenzie' last='Gregory']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gregory is a 5'4" DS/L from Gainesville, Virginia. Gregory has a great serve, platform, and consistent performance. She is very effective at getting under the ball even if just a hand and can create a playable ball in the tightest spaces. She was an impressive athlete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='625581' first='Makena' last='Muhammad']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Muhammad is a 5'6" DS/L from Elizabeth Seton High School. Muhammad has great hands and a good reach. She can get under things others can't reach and it is surprising how many balls she successfully returns to the front row for a rally. She has quick feet, a great platform, and is a good server with a great jump serve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":584839,"width":"160px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"thumbnail","linkDestination":"none","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/08/IMG_4723.jpeg?w=150&amp;h=150&amp;crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-584839" style="width:160px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='554768' first='Bella' last='Chen'], defensive specialist from Glenelg HS, class of 2028.</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='554768' first='Bella' last='Chen']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chen is a 5'5" DS/L from Glenelg High School. There were only a couple of defensive specialists chosen by every scout at this event as a favorite and Chen was one of them. She was consistent, fast, and reliable whether serving or digging up balls. She showed speed and agility on the court. She was setting if she needed to deal with an out-of-system ball and was just playing very well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='625589' first='Lauren' last='Wagner']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wagner is a 5'3" DS/L from Smitburg High School. Wagner is a fast athlete and can cover the entire court if needed. She has the speed to go from the service line to cover under the block, and get those tough balls in the corner of the court knowing if they are in or out. She makes good decisions and uses her speed to her team's advantage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->