Kentuckiana Skills Academy 17 Red Overview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team has a nice mixture of talent from the loaded 9th District. The team is 11-11 on the season with a Music City Meltdown 17-18 Club Division championship in February and finishes in the top half of the 17 Classic Division in the Bluegrass Tournament and the Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge in Louisville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Apollo sophomore libero [player_tooltip player_id='612255' first='Jessie' last='Pate'] starts things off strong with clean first touches along with three other sophomore defensive specialists in Daviess County's Kyndall Murphy, Kaylee Harley and Owensboro Catholic's Mady Murphy. Daviess County sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='911391' first='Stella' last='Roberts'] has continued her steady play at setter with Owensboro Catholic sophomore Lillie Kate Bodne handling some of the setter roles as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team has some talented finishers led by Daviess County junior middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='813890' first='Haylee' last='Clark'] and Daviess County sophomore outside/middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='912921' first='Reese' last='Whiteside']. Daviess County sophomore right side hitter also takes swings along with Owensboro sophomores Zoe Carter at outside hitter and Georgia Gabbert at middle blocker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The next tournament is the Indy Cup on May 16 and 17 in Indianapolis.</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":["813890"],"_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-69e017c1ecea1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Clark (pictured) has turned into a sound hitter for both 17 Red and Daviess County. Clark has a good mixture of hard and off hits. She sees the court and makes the necessary adjustments to put balls down. Clark makes plays from the middle and pins using a sound vertical jump. Clark also has good form on her blocks and makes sound first touches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["612255"],"_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-69e017c1ecf66"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Pate quickly picks up on a hitter's tendancies and puts herself into position to dig it up to jumpstart the offensive rhythm. Pate has shown she can handle hard crosses. Pate sets her feet well to make nice passes. Her ball control has made strides during club season. She provides sound net coverage. Pate also has a sound jump serve sometimes keeping opponents out of system.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["911391"],"_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-69e017c1ecff8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Roberts primarily sets for 17 Red trying to develop faster sets and put her hitters in position to succeed. She is doing a better job reading blockers and setting to the right hitters. Roberts adds in sound first touches and has shown to take sound swings when needed. Roberts also has a sound jump on her blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Georgia Gabbert","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32924","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Owensboro","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='955543' first='Kentuckiana' last='Skills Academy']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e02530524ea"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gabbert came on as a strong blocker for the Devils in the fall and has been working on incorporating stronger rips hoping to bring more balance for Owensboro this fall. Gabbert has sound form, great timing and goes after balls aggressively at the net. She knows how to work with teammates to form solid blocks. Adding onto that in other areas could go a long way for her and Owensboro this fall.</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 Kentucky, Ohio and coming soon, Tennessee. 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 michaelgraham@prepdig.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 -->