Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Academy 16 Red, White Look-ins

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top KIVA 15s team made it all the way to the AAU National championship semifinals last year and nine of the players from that team came back. The White team sees seven players off last year's 15 White team return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Red</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team is once again loaded up hoping to take things one step further. The team features two key players off the Assumption state championship team in sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='611724' first='Brooke' last='Codey'] and sophomore middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='851613' first='Julia' last='Lee']. Two more sophomore Assumption teammates in setter [player_tooltip player_id='456584' first='Ramsie' last='Turner'] and defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='785586' first='Lacey' last='Prather'] are also on the team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Codey did not play up this year. The only truly new player to the club is Floyd Central (Indiana) outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='835250' first='Macy' last='Sorg'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sacred Heart sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='748192' first='Bella' last='DeSensi'] is also back along with the other setter in Floyd Central (Indiana) sophomore Lillie Furnall. The team features another powerful middle blocker in Mercy sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='771907' first='Riley' last='Phipps'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four sensational sophomore outsides grace the roster. They are Evansville (Indiana) North's [player_tooltip player_id='586940' first='Annabelle' last='Freels'] and [player_tooltip player_id='586968' first='Madeline' last='Freels'] along with Assumption's [player_tooltip player_id='611743' first='Taylor' last='McKenzie'] and Christian Academy of Louisville's [player_tooltip player_id='601632' first='Kayleigh' last='Rogers']. Rogers did not play during high school season as the result of a season-ending injury suffered during the Bluegrass Games. However, one can expect her to make a huge punch once cleared to return to the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team is off to a 9-3 start on the season, recently taking ninth out of 32 teams in the 16 Open Division at the Nike Classic. The next stop is the Triple Crown NIT on Feb. 14-16 in Kansas City. Melissa Starck-Bean is once again the head coach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>White</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two players off this team came up from the 15 Silver squad last year in Shelby County sophomore setter [player_tooltip player_id='931049' first='Elly' last='Courtney'] and Assumption sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='735799' first='Josie' last='Eichberger']. Washington (Indiana) High middle Danice Dowling is new to the club and Assumption outside [player_tooltip player_id='912809' first='Harper' last='Poole'] played on another KIVA team last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The two returning defensive specialists are Assumption sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='768239' first='Lindsay' last='Erhard'] and Manual's Marlow Jeffreys and the setter is Christian Academy-Louisville sophomore Olivia Lewis. Assumption sophomore Addisyn Kamber is the other middle with Assumption sophomore Autumn Mattingly, Manual sophomore Kamryn Bauman and Sacred Heart sophomore Addison Ayres playing outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team is 8-4 on the season so far. The next event is the President's Day Classic in St. Louis at the Capitol Sports Center on Feb. 14 through 16.</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":["785586"],"_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-6979856d62819"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Strong communication is not only vital on the court. It's demanded at KIVA, hence the reason why Prather does a great job calling out balls and not colliding with teammates. Prather (pictured) squares her arms with balls to make solid passes. Prather is aggressive on the court, always trying to anticipate where balls are going and providing sound net protection. Prather can also make quality out of system passes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["835250"],"_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-69798a7117451"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The 16 Red team is filled with playmakers and Sorg will more than make her fair share of them. The Class 4A Second Team All-State Sorg has a great nose for the ball making play after play defensively. She keeps plays alive under control. Sorg puzzles opponents with a tough jump floater serve. Offensively, Sorg has such great mechanics she produces dart after dart. Defenders have to be in the path of balls or they are not coming up. Sorg consistently beats blocks before they are put up and powers her way through them. Sorg tips balls to shallow lines to throw off opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["895476"],"_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-69798fcf33c9f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ayres is dynamic in a number of ways. Ayres goes up and gets on top of balls before blockers can get up to challenge her. She has a good inward step trying to find different parts of the court. Ayres uses a good wrist snap to send balls screaming to the ground. She is also not afraid to rip seams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["912809"],"_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-69798fcf33cfb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Poole takes the court with good confidence. She starts things off with crisp passes and a hard jump serve. At the pins. Poole can pound balls through blocks if not around them. Poole displays great enthusiasm on the court.</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 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 -->