Rising through the February Grind: Part 2

In Part I of this two-part series, we looked at players whose versatility and preparedness helped their team in critical matches. As the season progresses, execution speeds up, and impactful players become harder to overlook. Part II recognizes athletes who elevated their teams through speed, court awareness, and a competitive edge during the February grind.      [player_tooltip player_id='940044' first='Makenzie' last='Benge'] hit from everywhere and showed her versatility as a middle who runs a strong option out of serve receive from the length of the net. She added a quick-tempo outside hit, a back quick, and fast middle attacks to stretch the defense. Her setter favored her for her speed and versatility. Mackenzie is a threat because she can score from anywhere.     [player_tooltip player_id='919279' first='Autry' last='O'Dell'] contributed to a tough bracket match with a tip kill, strong block closes to the outside, and good block touches that slowed down the attack for the defense. She scored late in the match with a kill to the corner off the blockers' hands. Her ability to impact rallies in multiple ways made her a valuable presence on the court in February.     [player_tooltip player_id='903588' first='Kennedy' last='Auschwitz'] brought an encouraging and competitive presence while delivering strong sets from sideline to sideline. Against a strong serving team, she proved she would not be outworked, as her hustle was put to the test and she got to every out-of-system pass. Her consistent effort and leadership helped keep the offense organized under pressure.     [player_tooltip player_id='903590' first='Maggie' last='Hinds'] stepped in on a short serve and delivered a perfect pass before getting ready at the net. Her court awareness gave her the opportunity to score on an overpass kill, and she followed it up by putting up a solo block to score. Her presence and impact is due to her preparedness at the net.     [player_tooltip player_id='903591' first='Breonna' last='Joyce'] worked the defensive perimeter well in rotation and delivered powerful back sets when out of system. She set with strength and poise, keeping the offense organized even in difficult situations. Her calm and consistency helped steady her team during a bracket match this month.

In Part I of this two-part series, we looked at players whose versatility and preparedness helped their team in critical matches. As the season progresses, execution speeds up, and impactful players become harder to overlook. Part II recognizes athletes who elevated their teams through speed, court awareness, and a competitive edge during the February grind.