Early Exits, Lasting Impressions: 5A Standouts Shine Anyway

The scoreboards may have indicated that their season was over, but the way they played told another story. For several players their season was cut shorter than expected, but their leadership, poise, legacy, and skill left a lasting impression on their respective programs and a hope for next season.    A pivotal piece for the Wasatch program was their fast and athletic 5'9 libero. [player_tooltip player_id='793987' first='Fili' last='Liava'a'] finished the 2025 season in top five for total digs, recording 526 while also reaching the 1000-dig milestone earlier this season. She demonstrates strong technique in serve receive by creating angles early and opening up to keep the ball on her hip. She gets solid touches on tough balls, gets under off-speed shots quickly and sees her hitters effectively. She stands as a vocal and emotional leader who battles and embraces every challenge that comes her way.     [player_tooltip player_id='846041' first='Nicole' last='Kluge'] flys a bit under the radar, but she is a player that is continuing to blossom as time progresses. She gets her feet to the ball really well and can swing with good power, pace, and control. She demonstrates the ability to correct errors and adjust to tough sets. Kluge demonstrates the ability to score off of a variety of sets in and out of system. If a ball is too tight, she can swipe off the block or power through. If the ball's inside, she can get her feet there and take a hard rip angle.     Despite making a first round exit against the 2025 5A State Champs, [player_tooltip player_id='894161' first='Livia' last='Eyre'] proved that not only a great attacker, but an even better leader and teammate. Regardless of the score or team across the net, she gives her all and remains as a constant force for her team. She's a good passer who tracks the ball well in serve receive and shows resilience after making an error. Eyre has good power and range that shows when she's playing against tough teams. She is a competitor who will find a way to score in various ways.     A 6'1 outside and standout this year for Olympus was sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='894194' first='Hailey' last='Denill']. As the season progressed, she only showed the potential and growth that she is capable of. She gets her feet to the ball in and out of system, has a high reach, and can swing hard. Denill responds appropriately to her own mistakes and can see she works hard to make the adjustment.     A 6'2 middle and a big asset for the Eagles program is [player_tooltip player_id='827405' first='Mikayla' last='Esquivel']. Her good sense of timing with her setters paired with range and power make her an effective presence at the net. She is able to score in different areas of the court maintaining that same power and demonstrating court awareness. She knows when to swing hard or simply place it in a spot. She has a good first step to help her close blocks and is a very engaged player from beginning to end.     [player_tooltip player_id='896270' first='Allie' last='Allred'] is steadily becoming a consistent force for the Knights. Standing at 6'1 as a lefty-nightside, she is already set up to become a formidable force these next few years. She generates good power behind the ball and has a consistent high reach that helps her power through blocks, use an off-speed shot to a corner, or manage tough sets. Regardless of never playing as a setter, she shows that she is willing to play wherever she needs in order to help her team win.     [player_tooltip player_id='896580' first='Avery' last='Marshall'] is an athletic, left-handed setter with solid technique that grants her the ability to keep all her hitters involved. She has good connections with middle's and can run them in transition -- even off tough balls. Marshall also disguises her decisions well to give her hitters one-on-one opportunities. Being a lefty at the net is always a good thing and she uses that to her advantage when the moment presents itself to score. She plays good defense that makes it easy for her libero to take the second ball and she has a tough serve that disrupts passing patterns.     [player_tooltip player_id='800756' first='Adelaide' last='Stevenson'] has good mechanics and technique which help her make great sets in and out of system. She keeps her middles involved and demonstrates the ability to keep her offense dynamic. Stevenson knows where her hitters are and knows who she needs to set in the right moments. She has a strong float serve that comes off the hand clean with pace and accuracy. On defense, she can identify anything off-speed and make the move to get there quickly or to stay and dig a ball down the line with her platform or hands.    Just a reminder to all volleyball athletes in Utah — with club season right around the corner, I'd love to feature more of you! If you'd like to be included, please send me your club schedule along with some basic information about yourself: your club team, position, and coach. Feel free to also share a little bit about your story and who you are!   With how much volleyball has grown in Utah, it's getting tougher to keep track of all the talented athletes out there, so don't hesitate to reach out! I'll do my best to come watch you in action. You can find my email in the Utah scouts section. I'm looking forward to connecting with you all and seeing you on the court!

The scoreboards may have indicated that their season was over, but the way they played told another story. For several players their season was cut shorter than expected, but their leadership, poise, legacy, and skill left a lasting impression on their respective programs and a hope for next season.