Celebrating Hoosiers: Qualified 17s Teams, Part 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>More and more, teams from Indiana are coming back to the USAV route to see where they match up against the best of the best in the country. In the cases of the three teams listed below, most of their successes were widely known closer to home, earning their bids at the Hoosier Regional. Here are nine athletes from three different clubs that are still available and will make waves once GJNCs starts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rev 17-1 Raptors</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Winning the 17s division of the Hoosier Regionals is no small feat. Once you look at the roster and what they're capable of, it completely makes sense how complete this team is. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='217453' first='Rose' last='Mahin'] </strong>hits the heaviest ball of any of the pin players, and is a prime candidate for being a six-rotation outside that can hammer from anywhere. Her quick and springy nature suit her well, and make up for a possible size issue at the next level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='327227' first='Hayden' last='Mandsager']</strong> is a big and physical three-rotation pin, and has spent a good majority of her playing time on the right pin at both the high school and club levels. Also capable of hitting a heavier-than-average ball, she's the prototypical hammer for three rotations at a mid-major D1 program near you. I'm also high on <strong>Alivia Morgan.</strong> Fully armed with the ability to hit from anywhere and play any attacking position for three rotations, Alivia looks more and more the part of an M2 at the next level. She hits high and hard, uses her size to her advantage when blocking, and does both aggressively. One of the things that has drawn me to her play was her ability to hit any tempo ball in any position at any angle at any time during the match. This is no small task, as too many available attackers in this class hit the same ball over and over again, without adjustment. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Circle City 17 Purple</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Also earning their spot to GJNCs through the regional, Circle's top 17s program is no slouch either. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435836' first='Ashlynn' last='Turner']</strong> is from an area who trains their middles well at Noblesville. In Miss Turner's case, she's capable of being either middle position at the next level, as her attacks off of two feet and off of one look seamless and have a similar terminal percentage. I like the high attack touch and willingness to be aggressive regardless of where the ball is being set. Length is definitely her strength, and she uses it well on both offense and defense. A pair of defenders from HSE make this squad go in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='286983' first='Maye' last='McConnell']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='247782' first='Mia' last='Walpole'].</strong> Either could easily don the special jersey on any roster they're placed, and their similar styles set them apart from other available defenders in this class. Maye was the libero during this squad's run at MEQ, and shows a quiet platform with active feet, making her indispensable in serve receive. At the left back position, she reads and reacts well. Mia is the right back on this roster for three rotations, and is similar in her serve receive---calm, cool and collected.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Team Indiana Elite 17.1</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finally, the Freedom division needs to ready themselves for the level of play that this roster is bringing. For starters, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='210333' first='Kenlee' last='Barnard']</strong> is a big and strong setter that can be physical on the attack while running a 5-1 to perfection. I like her D1-ready size and decision making, and her hands are high and accurate. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='503936' first='Miranda' last='Bledsoe']</strong> has set herself apart as a solid defender for three rotations on this roster. With highly active feet and a read-and-react mentality to every hard-driven ball, Miss Bledsoe is seemingly always in the right spot at the right time. Outside attacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='210183' first='Audrey' last='Bassett']</strong> from Westfield has an explosive arm to go along with minimal extraneous movement in her approach. Needing only two or three steps, depending on in- and out-of-system play, she can get up quickly and decisively with minimal effort, making her super hard to read. She can hit high hands, find gaps in the block or just hammer away at unsuspecting floor defenses. Too often, outsides take this "runway" approach to maximize every bit of energy. Over time, fatigue will set in on a long weekend. Not for Audrey, as her minimalist approach makes her look stronger as the weekend continues on. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->