Littles to Look for at the Indiana Top 250 Expo: Top DS Prospects

We all know a volleyball team cannot be successful without defense, and the best teams always have a dynamite libero/defensive specialist in the back row. They bring not only incredible digs & saves, but also tons of energy and communication. When evaluating the DS/L position it is important to see these traits: competitive drive, communication, all-out effort and of course, great serve receive and digging fundamentals. These six young ladies showed they possess these qualities in their varsity high school seasons, which is why I am really looking forward to seeing them compete on December 7th against some really talented front row attackers.    Ms. Dowling spent her high school season playing varsity for a very talented and respected Marauders team who beat a lot of great opponents this year, including Cathedral and Westfield. She ended up third on the team in both digs per set (3.1) and total digs (362) just behind a great six rotation OH in [player_tooltip player_id='778462' first='Sierra' last='Holverson'] and senior DS Avery Delello. What I love about Dowling is her serving and setting abilities, two skills all great liberos should be good at. She finished second on the team in those two categories, which tells me she is a really well-rounded backrow player. Super excited to have Aubry in the gym - she is sure to be a standout.     Krea is a standout for me because of all the things she can do on the floor. She is a player who could be either your starting varsity setter OR your starting libero - there aren't a ton of players you can say that about, especially when they are just sophomores. This past season with the Olympians she led the team in digs (223), aces (35) AND assists (441). Now how often do you see that stat line? To have the ability to play both defense and set that well is definitely unusual in the best way, and then add being a great server on top? You have the makings of a player that any team would be lucky to have. Look for Martin to quickly make herself known amongst the other defensive players.     Morgan was a powerhouse of a DS for the Bulldogs this past season. She led in digs per set (4.3), digs per match (12.9) and total digs (427). But Osborn doesn't just bring incredible defensive skills, she can also serve really well - she was first on the team in aces per set with almost one each game and second in total aces (46) for Columbus North. I look forward to seeing Morgan interact with other players on the court at the Expo - I expect her to emerge as a floor leader pretty quickly.     Brinley played this past high school season on a stacked and successful Northview squad that went undefeated in conference play and had just two losses all season (finishing 30-2). Playing defense alongside senior standout libero [player_tooltip player_id='173240' first='Bradee' last='Mcdonald'] and senior superstar OH [player_tooltip player_id='173242' first='Keira' last='Lucas'], Deakins held her own in the back row ending up third right behind them in both digs per set (2.7) and total digs (242). I look forward to seeing Brinley shine at the Expo where she can step into being a leader on the floor and give her all against some awesome competition - she should be able to dig some hard driven balls after playing with Lucas all season.     Voudrie is just a sophomore playing libero on varsity at her high school, Boone Grove, who saw great success this past season in winning a 2A sectional title. She ended the season first in both digs per set (4.7) and total digs (474), the highest totals out of the players on this list. Lauren was also selected to play the in the North-South All Star game and I look for her to bring what she learned from that experience with other players to the courts come 12/7.     Hollis led her Crusaders team by racking up an incredible 7.7 digs per set over this past fall season, but what stands out even more about her stats is that she ended up second on the team in kills and hitting percentage. When you consider that she is giving that much effort on defense AND that Lilly is 5'2", you realize how amazing those stats are! It will be fun to watch how this young lady competes with elite competition at the expo and to see if she can score on some backrow attacks as well.    <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">If you loved this article, please follow our Instagram page, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abovethenetvolleyball">Prep Dig IN | Above The Net Volleyball</a> for exclusive content and behind-the-scenes action.</h3>   After following our page, take the next step and subscribe to PrepDig! By subscribing, you'll not only stay connected to the latest coverage of your favorite events, but you'll also be helping to shine a spotlight on rising volleyball talent.   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We all know a volleyball team cannot be successful without defense, and the best teams always have a dynamite libero/defensive specialist in the back row. They bring not only incredible digs & saves, but also tons of energy and communication. When evaluating the DS/L position it is important to see these traits: competitive drive, communication, all-out effort and of course, great serve receive and digging fundamentals. These six young ladies showed they possess these qualities in their varsity high school seasons, which is why I am really looking forward to seeing them compete on December 7th against some really talented front row attackers.