Stud Standouts from the D5 WIAA State Semifinals

The competition was fierce this morning as the D5 tournament started off highly competitively. Both Division 5 matches went to four sets. I was glued to my screen for every single point today, and here are some stud standouts that really made a difference on the court.    Shelby is a player who really does it all. She made an impact in every rotation and earned points on both pins and in the back row. Shelby was absolutely relentless in everything she did. She led her team in kills and digs in the state semifinal match and is sure to be a key player in the championship match. Her grit and resilience on every point made her invaluable throughout the match.     What impressed me about Delia is her ability to adjust throughout the match. Newmen definitely had the upper hand on Delia at the start of the match, but by the end of set one, she was digging everything they sent her way. She figured out their shots and read their hitters nearly flawlessly by the end of the match. Her ability to make strong defensive plays and be ready for anything that came her way was incredible to watch.     Lily will always impress me with her play. Her volleyball IQ is at the next level, and she uses it in everything she does. She sets and swings for Newman but is an elite defender as well. In fact, she led her team in digs and assists. She also had some sneaky setter dumps that resulted in kills. Lily is smart, energetic, and very athletic. She fought on every point and was essential in this semifinal matchup today.     Annika seemed to be able to find momentum for her team at nearly any moment. She was great from the service line, had a number of kills, and was an impact player on defense as well. Annika was disciplined in every skill. She was reliable for her team as they battled in the state semifinal.     Lydia was such a fun setter to watch work her craft on the court. She is a true athlete who sees the court well. As a lefty, she is dangerous in the front row, and she isn't afraid to get offensive with a power tip. She is very clean and precise in everything she does, from her footwork to her follow-through. The placement of her sets was consistent and she was a huge leader on the court for Sheboygan Christian today.     Sophia immediately stood out to me with her aggressive play from the back row. As a libero, you don't often have a chance to earn points, but she had 7 aces in their four-set match. That is a nearly unheard-of number for one match. She was just as relentless on defense and serve receive with only one reception error and contributing 15 digs.     Audrey was nearly unstoppable in the semifinal match She had 19 kills and hit 0.412. Her block was a huge part of the game. She had four solo blocks for her team but got numerous other touches that slowed the ball down and allowed her defense to get a clean contact on it. Her ability to positively impact nearly every play was impressive and she was a huge piece of this team.     Gabi is a player who is electric to watch on the court. She is a disciplined and consistent defender who picks up a lot of scrappy tips. She takes an explosive approach and soars when she is in the front row. She swung over some blockers on the opposing team and was a huge spark for her team. Gabi had 15 kills in Immanuel Lutheran's semifinal win.

The competition was fierce this morning as the D5 tournament started off highly competitively. Both Division 5 matches went to four sets. I was glued to my screen for every single point today, and here are some stud standouts that really made a difference on the court.