2024 Beast of the East All-Tournament Team

<h5 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Be sure to follow @lshotvb on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lshotvb/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">Tik Tok </a>and <a href="https://x.com/LineShotVBall">Twitter</a> for all things volleyball!</em></h5>   <h5 class="wp-block-heading"><em><a href="https://prepdig.com/top-250-expos/">The 2024 Expo Season is here</a>! Sign up for this year's Top 250 Expo using the code <strong>LSHOTExpo2024</strong> for $$ off!</em></h5>   <p>–</p>   <p>Another Beast of the East in the books!</p>   <p>From 7 am to 9 pm, this year's Beast of the East was jam packed full of great volleyball. Upsets galore and a whole lot of huge performances, the incoming post-season has become much clearer now with some of the best of the best in Michigan all in one spot. </p>   <p>For the second time in three years, Northville has taken the crown as the Beasts of the East. They would go on to take down the likes of a feisty Rockford squad, a sneaky Utica Eisenhower crew and Hudsonville en route to the title.</p>   <p>Over 32 teams in the gym, broken down into 8 pools, and 12 athletes on the All-Tournament team. Take a look at who some of the best of the best were at this year's Beast of the East.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/DSC03048.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-705740" style="width:258px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='288948' first='Lexi' last='Armstrong']</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='288948' first='Lexi' last='Armstrong'] - Hudsonville</h2>   <p>This player has wasted no time cementing herself as one of the top liberos in Michigan. Again, [player_tooltip player_id='288948' first='Lexi' last='Armstrong'] proves to play her best ball on the biggest stage. After a stellar performance at the East Vs. West Challenge a few weeks ago, Armstrong was once again named to a major All-Tournament team. At the Beast of the East, Armstrong averaged 10.5 digs per set.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='156284' first='Gabriella' last='Babinski'] - South Lyon East</h2>   <p>South Lyon East was looking virtually unstoppable behind the brute force of [player_tooltip player_id='156284' first='Gabriella' last='Babinski'] on Saturday. Cruising through pool play with ease, Babinski was ripping at an extremely high level. In the first round of bracket play, Babinski went off for an incredible 17 kill performance against Utica Eisenhower in a valiant effort. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='156287' first='Isabelle' last='Busignani'] - Marian</h2>   <p>While this may have been Marian's earliest exits from the Beast of the East is over 5 years, it wasn't without an incredible attacking performance by their Miss Volleyball Finalist. Proving herself time and time again, [player_tooltip player_id='156287' first='Isabelle' last='Busignani'] showed how she can take this squad to great heights. Averaging nearly 5 kills per set on a .378 hit percentage, Busignani was firing on all cylinders.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/DSC02797.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-705742" style="width:251px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='156293' first='Ella' last='Craggs'] </figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='156293' first='Ella' last='Craggs'] - Northville</h2>   <p>There's a reason that [player_tooltip player_id='156293' first='Ella' last='Craggs'] is one of the two setters to grace the All-Tournament team. Only dropping two sets throughout the 12+ hour tournament, Craggs paced her team to their second Beast of the East title in 3 years. From running the offense to her defense and attacking, Craggs continues to show off her state leading ways.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='237538' first='Annalise' last='Clark'] - Lowell</h2>   <p>Lowell was able to nab quite a few sets off of some big teams on Saturday. Known around the tournament as one of the scrappiest teams in the field, none were quite as determined of a defender than [player_tooltip player_id='237538' first='Annalise' last='Clark']. With an incredible 24 dig performance against Traverse City St. Francis, Clark averaged 5 digs per set at this prestigious event.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='156292' first='Jessica' last='Costlow'] - St. Mary Catholic Central</h2>   <p>If there was someone to look at as maybe the most valuable player in the gym, it was [player_tooltip player_id='156292' first='Jessica' last='Costlow']. SMCC, one of the few Division 3 squads in the field, was the little engine that could. Behind the explosiveness and stout defense of Costlow, she was one of the biggest driving forces behind upsetting the No. 4 and No. 8 teams in Division 1. Even at the loss to Rockford, in a tight three set match, the Rams did not have any answer for this powerhouse.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/DSC02771.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-705747" style="width:258px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='226888' first='Aubree' last='Deshetsky'] </figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='226888' first='Aubree' last='Deshetsky'] - North Branch</h2>   <p>Between her 50+ kills, 18 digs and ability to take on such a vast amount of court on servee receive, [player_tooltip player_id='226888' first='Aubree' last='Deshetsky'] was more than deserving of an All-Tournament team nod. The more that this player can touch the ball, the further North Branch can propel. Despite an early bow out in the opening rounds of bracket play, Deshetsky's play did not go unnoticed.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='224272' first='Cambria' last='Gaier'] - Caledonia</h2>   <p>Going onto win the Silver bracket of the Beast of the East, [player_tooltip player_id='224272' first='Cambria' last='Gaier'] and Caledonia did not go down without a fight. Taking down Mattawan in 3 sets and bowing to Clarkston in 3 during Pool Play, Caledonia went onto the silver due to tie break. Despite this, Gaier was the highlight of Pool H with her 54 kills and 50 dig performance. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='156307' first='Shelby' last='Ignash'] - Cass City</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/DSC02677.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-705744" style="width:253px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='156307' first='Shelby' last='Ignash'] </figcaption></figure>   <p>If it weren't for this player, Cass City would've maybe looked a bit lost at this prestigious tournament. Making her mark early on in the day with huge sweeps over Romeo and Marshall, [player_tooltip player_id='156307' first='Shelby' last='Ignash'] looked to have no problem going toe-to-toe with the reigning champs, Marian, in pool play. Following this, Ignash had Forest Hills Northern on the ropes in the opening stanza of the gold bracket.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='470031' first='Avery' last='Kapeller'] - Orchard Lake St. Mary</h2>   <p>Of all eight pools, only one of them saw an upset by a third seeded team. Leading her team to a gold bracket berth, [player_tooltip player_id='470031' first='Avery' last='Kapeller'] was the focal point of this OLSM squad. Swinging, defending and serving at an extremely high level, this sophomore outside hitter was a treat to catch in action. Kapeller was ripping nearly 4 kills per set on the day.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='546048' first='Liliana' last='Tripi'] - Utica Eisenhower</h2>   <p>To say [player_tooltip player_id='546048' first='Liliana' last='Tripi']'s touch on the court is a game changer is an understatement. Utica Eisenhower continues to prove themselves as one of the top dark horse squads to keep on close watch due to this young setter. While Ike would drop a game to SMCC in the pool rounds, they'd go on to knock off top ten foes in South Lyon East and Marian in the gold rounds. Tripi went on to average 8 assists per set.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='535138' first='Briawna' last='Zimmerman'] - Forest Hills Northern</h2>   <p>This may have been one of the most prolific middles at the Beast of the East this year. If her 48 kills weren't impressive enough, coming off of elongated break of play to injury makes things even more eye popping. Whether [player_tooltip player_id='535138' first='Briawna' last='Zimmerman'] swings in front of or behind the setter, she is finding huge scoring opportunities.</p>