Sophomore DS/Ls On the Rise at Iowa Top 250 Expo Vol.1

<p>Defensive players are some of the most athletic performers on the court. They determine the outcome of matches by being great or getting beat. They are responsible for saving points made against their team. They are the last line of defense. Let's look at the first group of sophomore defensive specialists from the Prep Dig Top 250 Expo in Iowa.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730492' first='Tenley' last='Nixt']</h2>   <p>Nixt is a 5'3" DS/L from West Liberty High School. Nixt is low to the ground, athletic, and spry. She has good instincts and follows her gut when she plays. It is successful for her on the court. She can position herself under the ball and remove some of the sting off of it before sending it on to her setters. She communicates about whose ball it is and plays it anytime she is able. She is fast and can chase the ball off the back of the court to successfully bring it back into play. She is very resourceful and an asset to her team. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/06/48-Leah-Janulewicz.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-547854" style="width:168px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='730453' first='Leah' last='Janulewicz'], DS/L from Waukee Northwest, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730453' first='Leah' last='Janulewicz']</h2>   <p>Janulewicz is a 5'9" defensive specialist from Waukee Northwest High School. Janulewicz has speed, agility, and quickness. She has a long reach and a great platform. If you want an ace or a kill do not hit it to this one, she will get it back up and back into play!</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730407' first='Ella' last='Sieck']</h2>   <p>Sieck is a 5'4" defensive specialist from North Fayette Valley. Sieck is so fast and flexible. At the expo, it almost hurt me to watch her dive and successfully pop the ball back up to her setter. She is so good and has an excellent platform, quick-moving feet, and a lot of determination to play her best every single play.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/12/Jenna-Harbour.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-489204" style="width:184px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='730431' first='Jenna' last='Harbour'], DS/L from Ankeny High School, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730431' first='Jenna' last='Harbour']</h2>   <p>Harbour is a 5'6" DS/L from Ankeny High School. Harbour is a really good defensive specialist. She can twist her body to direct the ball where she wants it to go. She has quick feet, a great platform, great serves and she is fun to watch on the court.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='729465' first='Lily' last='Harmon']</h2>   <p>Harmon is a 5'1" defensive specialist from Ankeny Centennial High School. Harmon is a workhorse and is always where she needs to be on the court and is always on the ball. She has a great platform, good hands, and great instincts. She has a high volleyball IQ, quick feet, is responsive to the ball, and never gives up.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/IMG_5622.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-732011" style="width:166px;height:auto" /></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730438' first='Kaitlyn' last='Smith']</h2>   <p>Smith is a 5'5" defensive specialist from Grinnell High School. Smith served an ace on her very first serve of the day. She has a killer jump serve and it kind of floats on the receivers tricking them into playing too deep or she hits it with so much power they cannot handle the spin and it ricochets off their hands and into the stands. She can go low to the ground with speed and precision and comes up with the ball to her setter the majority of the time. She has a great platform and great agility. Her hands just seem lucky because of how well she plays, but we all know that is straight-up earned the old-fashioned way with plenty of practice and repetition. She is an impressive athlete. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/137A1089-2.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-716818" style="width:162px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Waukee Northwest '27 [player_tooltip player_id='730464' first='London' last='Taylor']. (Photo: Rob Howe/Prep Dig) </figcaption></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730464' first='London' last='Taylor']</h2>   <p>Taylor is a 5'9" DS/L from Waukee Northwest High School. Taylor has a perfect platform and is well-trained as a defensive specialist. I honestly thought she was an outside hitter at first because of how powerfully she hits cross-court. Then I was impressed all over again when I saw her play the back row. She is a special athlete and has the most consistent abilities that I saw in this group today. She has great hands and quick feet and was really into the game. I loved watching her play.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/IMG_5621.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-732009" style="width:159px;height:auto" /></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='730456' first='Lextyn' last='Pankey']</h2>   <p>Pankey is a 5'3" defensive specialist from Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School. Pankey was on her toes and ready to roll at this year's expo. She has great hands and knows where the ball is coming to and where she is sending it once she receives it. She is very consistent and stable on the court. She works hard to keep the ball in play and has some awesome saves by digging it back into play when off the court.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/IMG_5620.jpeg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-732010" style="width:174px;height:auto" /></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Coryn Kimball</h2>   <p>Kimball is a 5'6" DS/L from Dakota Valley High School in South Dakota. Kimball was impressive in serve/receive because not only could she receive the ball but she can take speed off of it and make it playable for her team. She had some really hard-hit balls at her at this expo and did not even flinch when they came her way. She just did her job, popped them up to her setter, then went about her day. She has great footwork and a high volleyball IQ that helps her anticipate where to be for that next ball and looked so impressive at the event.</p>

Defensive players are some of the most athletic performers on the court. They determine the outcome of matches by being great or getting beat. They are responsible for saving points made against their team. They are the last line of defense. Let's look at the first group of sophomore defensive specialists from the Prep Dig Top 250 Expo in Iowa.