Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club 15 Typhoon, Thunder look-ins

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On a yearly basis, teams are not set in stone. Some players improve and jump up while others do not. A number of the players on these two teams could surprise in the next three seasons. Every player on these two teams is a freshman at the respective schools.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Typhoon</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walton-Verona outside hitter/defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='889588' first='Ashlan' last='Emerson'] made a huge impact on varsity this past season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team has three libero/defensive specialists in McNicholas' [player_tooltip player_id='915906' first='Emma' last='Greene'], Notre Dame's Sophie Brauch and St. Ursula's Liliana Frantz. Ryle's Isla Bowsher is a setter or right side hitter. Another outside hitter/defensive specialist is Notre Dame's Charlotte Verst. Two St. Ursula teammates in Olivia Veith and Adelyn Wasik could hit from the outside or right side.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two Notre Dame teammates in Cate Scheuerle and Carly Cook round out the roster as middle hitters. Scheuerle could also hit on the right side and Cook on the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jenny Blackburn is the team's head coach. The team is 8-4 overall and just finished runner-up in the 15 Club Division of the Nike Classic. The next tournament is the President's Day Classic in St. Louis. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thunder</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Loveland's Cash Redmond, St. Ursula's Lucca Pusateri and Ursuline's [player_tooltip player_id='778143' first='Lexie' last='Nill'] are the liberos/defensive specialists. Ryle's Ashley Barth will set or play defensive specialist. Two Ryle teammates in Lola Gerlach and [player_tooltip player_id='938988' first='Paisley' last='Holtman'] could set or hit from the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That leaves four hitters. Conner's Grace Kemen is an opposite hitter with Scott's Arianna Graves and Conner's Kylie Welch hitting from the outside or middle. Brooke Rabius from Holy Cross (Covington) is an outside/right side hitter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team's head coach is Torri Thompson. The team plays in the Nike River Rumble on Saturday and Sunday at Spooky Nook in Hamilton, Ohio.</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":["889588"],"_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-69777f2329f65"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Emerson (pictured) has a great eye for the other side of the court. She knows where opponents are stationed. She takes sets, rises up with a good vertical, then puts the right amount of touch on balls to rip seams, placing balls in different spots away from opponents. Emerson can send balls down the left line, paint the back line and even tip to shallow parts of the court. Emerson also makes nice passes for the Bearcats. Emerson had 167 kills and 106 digs in the fall for Walton-Verona.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["915906"],"_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-69777f232a020"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Greene is turning into a nice back row defender. She anticipates balls well and sets her feet to make smooth first touches. She also provides sound net protection. Greene is aggressive on her serves. Her rugged jump serves give opponents problems. She only falls to her side to dig up balls out of necessity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["778143"],"_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-69778914ae8a1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nill has a nice work ethic. Nill finds different ways to dig up balls and keep plays alive. Nill uses a nice platform. Nill will improve as the season goes along.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["938988"],"_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-69778914ae9c6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Holtman has an advantage not only with her club this season, but high school as she's on the same team with two Ryle teammates. Holtman runs an efficient offense at setter and can rise up to take good swings with a good vertical jump. Holtman has good range. She can slip back on hard hit balls then come forward quickly on tips. Holtman is also an aggressive server.</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 -->