Lexington United 16, 66 Elite Profiles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These teams have some familiar faces and also some new ones compared to the 15 and 55 Elite teams from last spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>16</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four players off last year's dynamic 15s team return off the top two teams in the 43rd District. Two played in the state semifinals in Lexington Catholic sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='768460' first='Madeline' last='Sisk'] on the outside and [player_tooltip player_id='774758' first='Noah' last='Cecil'] in the middle. The other two come from rival Dunbar in sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='774734' first='Zya' last='Richardson'] and setter [player_tooltip player_id='912835' first='Ava' last='Martha'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two moved up from the 55 Elite squad in West Jessamine freshman [player_tooltip player_id='774738' first='Ava' last='Smith'] and Woodford County sophomore outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='724682' first='Lucy' last='Culbertson']. Lexington Catholic outside hitter Corrine Brown came moved up from 15 National and dynamic Rowan County sophomore outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='697081' first='Ella' last='Breeze'] came up from the 55 Black team last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team also welcomes in Montgomery County middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='755626' first='Erin' last='Fawns'] from another club. Lexington Christian sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='912939' first='Rachel' last='Rice'] and West Jessamine sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='755065' first='Taylor' last='Snowden'] are the other two setters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jordan Silvanik is the team's head coach. The team plays in the Martin Luther King Extravaganza at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Hamilton, Ohio on Jan. 17 and 18. The team plays in the 16 Premier Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>66</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sayre sophomore middle blocker Magot Kinkead and Lexington Christian sophomore outside/defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='778176' first='Jillian' last='Weaver'] are the two lone returning players from last year's 55 Elite team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lexington Catholic sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='768422' first='Elise' last='Millard'], two Dunbar sophomores in outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='727151' first='Noelle' last='Davis'], Niva Patel and Lafayette sophomore outside [player_tooltip player_id='711994' first='Carli' last='Dotson'] played on the same LUV club last season. Dunbar sophomore setter Georgia Faulkner and Model sophomore middle/outside [player_tooltip player_id='552342' first='Keightley' last='Pearl'] played on 15U National teams for LUV last spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Jessamine sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='851950' first='Kayla' last='Avent'] gives the team a sound option on the outside along with Madison Central sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='769212' first='Jaelyn' last='Hall']. Hall can also set. She played on another club in the spring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alexandre Leite is the team's head coach. The team also plays in the Martin Luther King Extravaganza at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Hamilton, Ohio on Jan. 17 and 18. The team plays in the 16 Premier Division.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["755626"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69533cf199cdd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Fawns (pictured) does not always need the perfect set to make big things happen in the middle. Fawns can put down quicks and other ones and gap shots to different parts of the court. Fawns has a nice arm swing and can angle balls off blockers for big points. Fawns can put balls down on solid defensive specialists. Opponents can not go soft on Fawns or she'll reject those balls with authority. Fawns had 241 kills, 28 solo blocks, 26 assisted blocks and 32 aces last fall, helping Montgomery County make it back to the 10th Region semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["912939"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69533eda9c071"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rice brings versatility to both the club and high school teams. Rice smacks balls hard to the back row when her teams need big kills. She can power through blocks. Rice mixes in tips to the shallow front rows. As a setter, Rice involves a number of players and has a deceptive setover. Rice is also a sound passer. Rice had 209 kills, 160 assists and 92 digs in the fall, helping the Eagles go 19-15.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["724682"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69533eda9c102"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Culbertson did a lot of setting during club last season, but that changed to more of an outside hitter role for the Yellow Jackets in the fall and could be doing the same this club season. Culbertson does not mind her role as she'll do whatever it takes to help her teams win. Culbertson proved to be a valuable commodity in the Yellow Jacket offense. She takes fundamentally sound swings, especially from the opposite side. Culbertson has tough crosses and has a good vertical to get hands on balls defensively. Her setting experience came in handy when Woodford County was not in system. Culbertson had 130 kills, 25 solo blocks and 59 assists in the fall, helping Woodford County go 22-13 and make it back to the 8th Region Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["768422"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6953487cc5b5c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Millard hopes to have another productive club season, trying to help the Knights take more steps forward in the fall. Millard brings outstanding energy to the court with her sound passes. Millard makes solid serves and can produce in different ways when LexCath is out of system.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["774762"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6953487cc5bcf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kinkead is an outstanding blocker in the front for the Spartans. She times her jumps well and denies all sorts of hits from crosses to shoves. Kinkead can also make things happen at the pins and middle offensively for Sayre. She has fundamentally sound swings and can tip balls over blockers. If she improves her arm swing and consistency on offense during club season, Kinkead could take some huge steps forward. Kinkead had 89 kills, 46 solo blocks and 43 assisted blocks in the fall, helping Sayre go 29-9, win the All "A" 11th Region crown and drive to the championship flight in the All "A" State Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from the Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for nearly two years and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in both Kentucky and Ohio. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @prepdigkentucky or @prepdigoh on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky or Ohio needs coverage or even have feedback on the Kentucky rankings, please email Mike at pnmikeg@yahoo.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham. Subscriptions give you access to exclusive content. For a 30% discount, enter code graham30 at checkout.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->