2027 Player Evaluations From Top 250 Expo: Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Class of 2027 was heavily represented at the Michigan Top 250 Expo this past Sunday in Pontiac.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>About half of the total participants came from this class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at the second part of our 2027 prospect evaluations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='530458' first='Alexia' last='Decker'], OH Oxford/L2</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Decker didn't have some of the length as other hitters and blockers at the Expo, but the 5'7” outside was well-balanced in her play. She made a lot of impressive defensive plays and that was a compliment to her steady offensive output. Decker battled hard at the net and wasn't afraid to challenge the long blockers, finding success throughout the day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='550488' first='Ella' last='Baker'], DS/L Lakeshore/Dunes</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baker is an agile defender that doesn't use any wasted movement. She's aggressive in getting to the ball in the back row and making a play as opposed to waiting for the ball to come to her. Though she comes off a little quiet, she's got the skills and ability to take command when she's on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523865' first='Kate' last='Belt'], S Valley Lutheran/Five:1</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A long setter, Belt is able to push the pace and works really well with her middles. She's got the ability to attack quickly and communicated well with all the different hitters she worked with. Belt was getting some of the best swings of the day out of her peers and she looked really comfortable in up-tempo settings.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='710832' first='Anneliese' last='Weber'], S Lake Orion/Unified</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 5'10” setter, Weber looks very in control when she's running an offense. She stays focused and let's things flow. Though she had to work with a number of different hitters and styles, Weber adapted well and didn't look like she had to overthink her choices.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='486269' first='Brooke' last='Johnson'], RS FH Northern/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot Johnson brought a lot of good intangibles to the table. She's able to play in the middle or the outside, as she's added a lot of ability to her defensive play. She was a big blocking force throughout the Expo, which was complimented by consistently good swings. Her arm speed is smooth and produces an easy swing that still generates a lot of power.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='513767' first='Rachel' last='Johnston'], RS Rochester Adams/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnston is a hitter that can be used anywhere along the front line. She's 5'11” with a long wingspan and she can do a good job of high-pointing the ball. That allows her to work over blockers and challenge the back row. Her length also makes her a formidable defender at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='524626' first='Lauren' last='Johnston'], DS/L Rochester Adams/High Performance</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnston is a multi-faceted player that is listed as a DS, but also can take swings at the net. She adapts well at either position, as she adjusts on the fly and makes the smart play. Defensively, Johnston is able to get low to the ground and stay in good form to make clean passes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490371' first='Brooklyn' last='Brassard'], OH Mattawan/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brassard was one of the most explosive hitters at the Expo. Coming off a strong fall, she took the court at the Expo looking to showcase her all-around skills. Brassard was able to put down some impressive kills, both at the net and from the back row. On top of all that, Brassard also had a potent serve.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='490043' first='Katelynn' last='Dabish'], S Orchard Lake St. Mary's/Team Detroit</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dabish took a little time to warm up, as she was feeling out the different hitters, but once things clicked she turned the corner. Dabish was able to consistently place the ball in good locations for her hitters to power through the ball. Defensively, Dabish was very alert and did a job of backing up the attackers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='523843' first='Addison' last='Naplin'], OH Vicksburg/FaR Out</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Naplin was another outside that could deliver on hang time. She was able to stay up for a long time and then unload on the ball. When she got a clean look, the ball was scoring. She played smart attack lines and also knew when to power through blockers and leave defenders flat-footed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->