Ranked Matches We’re Watching at 4A Regionals

We've come out the other side of sectionals, and there are 16 teams remaining in the 4A postseason. We've already lost three of the top ten, but there are plenty of ranked matches to watch this coming Saturday. It's important to note that four of the top five teams remain, yet all are in the northern half of the draw. We'll take some time today to talk about four matches where both teams are ranked in the top 20 (according to indianaprepvolleyball.com), the important players to watch, and what got them here.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#5 Crown Point (29-3) v #9 Chesterton (30-3), 4p @ LaPorte</h2>   Of the four matches listed here today, none have featured more familiarity. These two teams have met THREE TIMES this fall, with the Trojans winning the last on September 30 in a tough five-set battle. Crown Point's sweep of Munster got them here, and are led by Purdue commit [player_tooltip player_id='236692' first='Elle' last='Schara']. She's the center of the Bulldog offense, and will be relied upon to do even more as we get deeper into October. Fellow primary passer [player_tooltip player_id='801186' first='Bella' last='Del Real'] (Southern Illinois commit) is rock solid in both serve receive and defense, and both will need to carry the defensive load on the floor in this match. The Trojans have a pair of Division 1 attackers on the outside, and they've dictated how teams defend them all season long. With Chesterton's sweep of Portage in the sectional final, the Trojans can finally focus on the REAL start of the postseason. [player_tooltip player_id='400680' first='Tenley' last='Davis'] (Loyola commit) and [player_tooltip player_id='448138' first='Luca' last='Bombacino'] (Michigan commit) are the pair primary attackers that coaches covet, as each average 4+ kills per set while being a physical force at the net. No matter whom you cheer for, there will be a ton of exceptionally played volleyball on Saturday afternoon at LaPorte.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#14 Penn (23-6) v #4 Warsaw (29-4), 7p @ Culver Community</h2>   This match also features a little familiarity, with the teams splitting the two meetings this fall. What's different about those matches, however, is that they haven't seen each other since August, which feels like a lifetime ago. Things have changed for both since then, making this matchup that much more intriguing. The Kingsmen (Lady Kingsmen? Kingswomen?) have a mix of ages and talents up and down this roster, but nothing makes this squad go without the first-contact queens in the lineup. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='809341' first='Abby' last='Lane'] has been there, done that for Penn for a few years now, and her 4+ digs per set will need to be more “plus” than “four” to get past the Tigers. Fellow floor defender and heiress-apparent to the libero jersey is upstart sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='435866' first='Kyla' last='Hurley'], who's shone brightly on the brightest stages in both our showcases and at the club level. These two will be the x-factors on Penn's success on Saturday. As for the Tigers, this is one of their best seasons in recent memory, and their sweep of Elkhart in the sectional final was just the start of what hopes to be a long run in the playoffs. A pair of seniors are everything to Warsaw, with [player_tooltip player_id='487560' first='Cecelia' last='Goode'] (Purdue-Northwest commit) leading the offensive charge. Just like Penn, Warsaw has their own high-level libero in Indiana commit [player_tooltip player_id='260998' first='Ellie' last='Hepler']. Her calm and cool demeanor, coupled with unflappable technique and training, make her one of the top passers in her class. This should be a fun match to watch, and I can't even begin to predict what might happen.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#1 Fort Wayne Carroll (33-0) v #11 Harrison (23-5), 7p @ Homestead</h2>   What might feel like a home match for the Chargers on Satuday pits two teams that have not met each other this fall. Carroll wasn't tested much in their sectional, sweeping Fort Wayne Snider quickly while playing everyone on the roster on championship Saturday. The talent is everywhere on Carroll's roster, starting with [player_tooltip player_id='227184' first='Bailey' last='Sinish'] (IU Indy commit). Averaging 5+ kills per set while hitting north of .400 as a primary passing outside is tough enough—-to do so for an undefeated defending state champ that's lost exactly one SET this fall is a completely different conversation. She's the catalyst, but certainly doesn't do this alone. Uncommitted [player_tooltip player_id='228833' first='Addi' last='Shippy'] is a springy middle that leads her squad in blocks and uses her sneaky-long length to defend as well as attack in the middle. Addi's also attacking at an over .400 clip, and can terminate in a hurry if you let her. The Raiders aren't slouches by any stretch, as they roll out a pair of uncommitted outsides that power this offense, sweeping McCutcheon in their sectional final. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='290583' first='Della' last='Bossung'] is a six-rotation outside that can do a little of everything within the 900 square feet, while freshman outside Gia Stokes is a six-foot athLETE who can jump out of the gym and hits with pace and purpose. She certainly doesn't attack like a freshman, and will be tough to defend.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#12 Center Grove (26-9) v #6 Yorktown (24-7), 7p @ Greenfield-Central</h2>   The second of TWO ranked matches at Greenfield-Central, this features yet another pair of ranked teams that didn't face each other during the regular season. This match is also the only match in the southern half where both teams are ranked, showing how wide open the draw is for this half. Both teams feature freshmen as lead attackers, and both teams have their own M.O. for playing at such a high level. Center Grove knocked off Franklin Central in their sectional final, but it was closer than the final score might otherwise indicate. [player_tooltip player_id='880811' first='Gabby' last='Gilliard'] is the freshman in question for the Trojans, as she hits a heavy ball and takes up a lot of space on the block. Junior setter and UCF commit [player_tooltip player_id='435850' first='Anabelle' last='Schembra'] will be tasked with not only keeping the Tiger defense off-balance, but trying to keep them out-of-system with her tough serving. Yorktown's easy win over Greefield-Central in their sectional final got them here, and they've got a freshman star in the making as well. [player_tooltip player_id='847527' first='Kendall' last='Rowray'] is a primary-passing, six-rotation outside that is a huge part of the Tigers' success, as her 5+ kills per set while hitting over .300 as a six-rotation outside will tell the average fan. She's going to need some help during the postseason, so look no further than senior attacker [player_tooltip player_id='807749' first='Mya' last='Trammell']. She's been there, done that when it comes to deep postseason runs, just like last season when the Tigers went all the way to Worthen. Her senior leadership and stability is exactly what Yorktown will need to make a return trip to the final.

We've come out the other side of sectionals, and there are 16 teams remaining in the 4A postseason. We've already lost three of the top ten, but there are plenty of ranked matches to watch this coming Saturday. It's important to note that four of the top five teams remain, yet all are in the northern half of the draw. We'll take some time today to talk about four matches where both teams are ranked in the top 20 (according to indianaprepvolleyball.com), the important players to watch, and what got them here.