Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club 17s Preview

Northern Kentucky may be in the title, but over the years, good players from all over the Cincinnati area come to Wilder to play for this elite club. This year is no different.   17-1 Tsunami   Three members from two Ohio state champions headline this team. Junior outside hitter/defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='227615' first='Callie' last='Combs'] and junior setter [player_tooltip player_id='368391' first='Kirsten' last='Kemper'] led the Seton Saints to the Division I championship and St. Ursula junior [player_tooltip player_id='204230' first='Emma' last='Frietch'] led the Bulldogs to the Division II state crown. The two teams finished in a three-way tie with Ursuline for the Girls Greater Catholic League title.   Combs, a North Carolina State commit, finished third in the GGCL with 327 kills and dug up 271 balls to go with 30 aces and 33 blocks. Frietch, a University of Tennessee commit, led the GGCL with 458 digs to go with 110 assists, often making things happen out of system. Kemper, who will also play outside hitter for this team, finished fifth in the GGCL with 376 assists to go with 34 blocks.   Two other players who could set or play right side are Mason junior [player_tooltip player_id='339082' first='Addy' last='Bianchini'] and Ryle junior [player_tooltip player_id='212347' first='Morgan' last='Heater'], who came over from another club. Heater had 731 assists and 175 kills for Ryle last year.   The middle blockers feature three players that have committed to play at the next level in Notre Dame junior [player_tooltip player_id='312234' first='Audrey' last='Dyas'] at Wake Forest, Kings junior [player_tooltip player_id='227799' first='Sophia' last='Richardson'] at Eastern Kentucky and [player_tooltip player_id='227798' first='Maddie' last='Steele'] to Valparaiso. Richardson and Steele will also play right side and Dyas will also be an outside hitter. Dyas had 233 kills, 22 solo and 40 assisted blocks for Notre Dame last year with Richardson had 276 for Kings to go with 49 aces and 98 blocks.   Simon Kenton junior right side/middle [player_tooltip player_id='212349' first='Jenna' last='Kitchens'] and Notre Dame junior outside hitter/defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='507601' first='Grace' last='Portwood'] round out the roster. Portwood had 227 kills and 149 digs with Kitchens pounding out 385 kills to go with 192 digs and 45 aces.   Brooke Logan is the head coach of this team. The team won all four matches in the Early Bird Shootout in Plainfield, Indiana on Sunday, bringing back the Purple Group championship. The team next plays in the Nike Classic in Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 18 to 20.   17-2 Tide   Three St. Henry junior teammates in 6-1 middle blocker/outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='594619' first='Emily' last='Helmers'], setter/outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='451098' first='Madi' last='Demler'] and libero/defensive specialist Caroline Tabeling make up this roster. Demler had 295 kills, 465 assists, 257 digs and 37 aces for the Crusaders this past fall with Helmers putting down 234 kills and landing 42 assisted blocks. Tabeling had 186 digs.   Highlands junior [player_tooltip player_id='276170' first='Hayden' last='Gessner'] and St. Ursula junior [player_tooltip player_id='403535' first='Maddie' last='Cho'] anchor the libero/defensive specialist spot along with Tabeling. Gessner had 530 digs and 38 aces for the Bluebirds this past fall and Cho had 151 digs. Demler and Turpin junior [player_tooltip player_id='759635' first='Lilly' last='Woolums'] will handle the setting duties. Woolums had 922 assists and 147 digs for Turpin this past fall.   Seton junior [player_tooltip player_id='759645' first='Charlee' last='Lauson'] gives the team height at outside hitter and defensive specialist with Milford junior [player_tooltip player_id='548947' first='Abigayle' last='Grace Hamm'], Batavia junior [player_tooltip player_id='759648' first='Ellie' last='Poynter'] and Notre Dame senior [player_tooltip player_id='571992' first='Katie' last='Zwick'] giving the team options at middle blocker and outside hitter. Hamm had 164 kills and led Milford with 66 blocks this past fall.   Peyton McCarthy is the head coach of the team. The team finished 3-1 Sunday in the Early Bird Shootout in Plainfield, Indiana on Sunday. The team also next plays in the Nike Classic in Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 18 to 20.   17-3 Typhoon   Conner middle blocker/setter [player_tooltip player_id='602465' first='Annika' last='Berwanger'] headlines this group after recording 224 kills this past fall. Newport Central Catholic junior [player_tooltip player_id='540518' first='Paytin' last='Reckers'] leads at libero and will set some for the team with St. Henry junior Julia Moore also playing a defensive specialist role. Reckers had 193 digs and 44 aces for NewCath this past fall.   St. Ursula junior Isla Roney and St. Henry junior Elliot Flick could also set for the team. Roney is also listed at right side and Flick will also play defensive specialist. Batavia junior Harper Peavley will also look to contribute at defensive specialist and outside hitter after recording 147 digs for Batavia this past fall.   Lawrenceburg junior Alex Rummel along with St. Henry junior Paige VonEye and Notre Dame junior Addyson Starnes will play right side hitter. Starnes will play some outside hitter and VonEye will also see time at middle blocker.   Kristine Trenkamp is the head coach of the team. The team finished 1-3 in the Early Bird Shootout in Plainfield, Indiana on Sunday. The team heads north for the Nike Classic in Columbus, Ohio on Jan. 18 to 20.   17-4 Thunder   Beechwood junior [player_tooltip player_id='594624' first='Kendale' last='Lair'] leads this group along with Villa Madonna junior setter/defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='248435' first='Victoria' last='Sebald'].   Mason junior Anna Niemesh and St. Ursula junior Emerson Majors will either set or play defensive specialist with South Dearborn junior Carli Walter playing libero or opposite hitter. Seton junior Hayden Grow will play outside hitter if not defensive specialist.   Four hitters round out the roster. Dearborn junior Claire Elliott and New Richmond junior Lillian Fite will play outside hitter or middle blocker and Lawrenceburg junior Jillian Gregory will play middle blocker or opposite hitter. West Clermont junior Emma Bechtol will play outside or opposite hitter.   Brooke Schnelle is the head coach of this team. The team won all four games in the Early Bird Shootout in Plainfield, Indiana on Sunday. The team next plays in the Central Zone Invitational on Jan. 25 and 26.   Players to Watch    Steele (pictured) played a big role in helping Turpin transition to a new head coach this past fall. Steele gives the Spartans a diverse set of options with her ability to pound balls from all six spots on the court. Steele can deposit short and long sets to different parts of the court. She can also hit balls off blockers when needed. Steele finished third in East Cincinnati Conference play with 355 kills, helping Turpin go 16-11 and driving to the Division III region championship game. Steele also made the All-ECC first team.     Bianchini brings everything she has on every play trying to be a sound all-around player for the Comets. Bianchini reads defenses well then does a variety of sets from jump sets to back sets and even sets from the back row toward the net putting her teammates in position to succeed. Bianchini also makes things happen as an outside hitter with a sound swing. She hustles on defense often using one arm to dig up balls and has a sinking line drive serve. Bianchini finished fifth in the Greater Miami Conference with 469 assists to go with 136 kills, 45 aces and 240 digs for a 2.06 passer rating. Bianchini made the First Team All-GMC helping Mason go 19-7, win a ninth straight undefeated GMC title and drive to the Division I region title game.     Zwick had some good moments for the Pandas this past fall. She'll be looking to have a monster senior season with the graduation of key hitters from last year's state semifinal team. Zwick can get up and power balls past blockers using her size. She reacts quickly going from offense to defense. Zwick is also a valuable blocker for the Pandas.     Rummel makes things happen out of system for the Tigers. She can dive forward and to the sides to dig up balls then take big swings when the team needs them. Rummel constantly made things happen out of system for Lawrenceburg. Rummel is also a sound server for the Tigers. Rummel had 205 digs and 64 aces, helping Lawrenceburg go 22-7 this past fall.     Lair makes a lot of things happen on both sides of the court for the Tigers. She can make a big dig then quickly transition to offense and put balls down. Lair is tough on the outside, taking a sound approach then putting a lot of power into balls. Lair is especially tough on the cutter shots to opposite lines. Lair had 139 kills and 231 digs, helping the Tigers go 25-9 and make the 9th Region Tournament for the second straight season.    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Northern Kentucky may be in the title, but over the years, good players from all over the Cincinnati area come to Wilder to play for this elite club. This year is no different.