Line Shot's Mid-East Qualifier Hot Shots in 17 Open (Pt 4)

<p><em><strong>Be sure to follow @lshotvb on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lshotvb/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc">Tik Tok </a>and <a href="https://x.com/LineShotVBall">Twitter</a> for all things volleyball!</strong></em></p>   <p><em><strong><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb/video/7628338716947402015?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7621309005139035661">MUNCIANA AND TAV GO TOE TO TOE FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - CHECK IT OUT HERE 📍 </a></strong></em></p>   <p><strong><em>--</em></strong></p>   <p>It's one of the biggest tournaments of the season for a lot of reasons. The Mid-East Qualifier brings in the talent from every corner of the country. From the midwest to the south, to Texas and the PNW, we had representatives from just about everywhere you could imagine. All on the hunt for their bid to return back to the Circle City this summer.</p>   <p>Not only does MEQ bring the heat in terms of talent, but its the half way mark of the regular season in the club season. Qualifier season is nearing its end and we're just 6 weeks away from the quiet period that May brings. From there, its the almighty race for national championships in June and July. We're seeing teams hit their stride and playing some of their best volleyball yet.</p>   <p>The 17 Open remains to be one of the most sought after division in the country. These players have sometime to prove and for many, it is their last go around before hitting the early grad trend next winter. TAV, once again, dominated the field, winning in a dominated 10-0 fashion. OTVA came up short in challenging the clear front runners for the 17 Open title come Summer time. We also saw the emergence of teams like PVA and 1st Alliance bring themselves within the conversation with big weekends.</p>   <p>There is a LOT of volleyball to break down here from the 2026 Mid-East Qualifier, let's take a look at more of the Hot Shots in the 17 Open.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='260995' first='Caroline' last='Ward'] - Circle City</h2>   <p>This opposite from Circle City was out here doing the most for her squad! While it was an up and down weekend for 17 Purple, one thing maintained consistent, this SMU bound attacker is lethal on the right pin. [player_tooltip player_id='260995' first='Caroline' last='Ward'] continues to prove her prowess and this weekend proved no different. She is finding new angles and hitting new levels of pace on her ball, Ward continues to level up.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='494521' first='Shania' last='Rhamy'] - Munciana</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='494521' first='Shania' last='Rhamy'] is so much fun to watch on the court for so many different reasons. You first see her and you think "undersized attacker that can pass well". But then you watch her play and you see Rhamy is much more than meets the eye. Yes, undersized, but Rhamy can jump out of the gym with the best of them. In her reception and defense, Rhamy is one of the best and it allows not only her but the rest of this Munciana team to thrive on another level.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='808095' first='Sarah' last='Stegall'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple']</h2>   <p>She's Notre Dame bound and needless to say, she continues to prove of how much of a pick up she will be for the fighting Irish. [player_tooltip player_id='808095' first='Sarah' last='Stegall'] is very much the heartbeat to this [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple'] team from an offensive standpoint. She's an elite attacker from all angles of the court, even from behind the service line. Stegall has one lethal top spin serve that can swerve and dip at any given moment. This, alongside her offensive prowess at the net, curates a perfect storm of point scoring for the emerging talent.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='443848' first='Carsyn' last='Comer'] - Munciana</h2>   <p>I don't think it would be much of a hot take to say that [player_tooltip player_id='443848' first='Carsyn' last='Comer'] may be one of the most fascinating middles in the country. She's an electric attacker from just about every area of the net. She can rip teams apart from in front of the setter, but give her the chance to go behind the setter, she is just as dangerous too. But Comer is not just an offensive dynamo, she may be one of the most sound blockers at this level as well. Comer's movements on and off the net are so tactical and efficient, it is hard for any team to slow her down.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='828399' first='Emery' last='Cardinal'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple']</h2>   <p>Talking about some insane middles in the field, [player_tooltip player_id='828399' first='Emery' last='Cardinal'] is one that I love to get a front row seat on too. Maybe one of the heaviest arms when she gets ahold of the ball, you do not want to be in the way of a Cardinal smash on an open net. When [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple'] can't get her involved though, she is just as much of a threat from a blocking standpoint, too. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='489598' first='London' last='Evans'] - Munciana</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='489598' first='London' last='Evans'] got to do a lot of different things this weekend. As 18 Samurai boiled down to 17 Samurai to compete in 17 Open, that meant Evans not only helped run the offense for Munciana, but she got the shot to take a few cracks at the ball herself. Wherever she was, I was loving what she was cooking up. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='484140' first='Emily' last='Blevins'] - Munciana</h2>   <p>Alongside Evans, [player_tooltip player_id='484140' first='Emily' last='Blevins'] is a part of the Samurai 2-setter system and they make quite the tandem at the setting position. Blevins specifically was looking to be operating at another level throughout the Mid-East Qualifier. She was finding her attackers in so many great scoring opportunities. It was hard pressed to find Blevins not finding her hitters in one on one situations often throughout matches. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='741555' first='Elli' last='Oskey'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple']</h2>   <p>At this point, I am not entirely sure whether to label this player as a setter first or an opposite first, but needless to say, I'll take whatever she's having. [player_tooltip player_id='741555' first='Elli' last='Oskey'] impresses every single time you glance upon her court. Her decision making goes way beyond her setting, but as an attacker as well. This is player that is very cerebral in her game, seeing it on multiple levels and executing on all fronts time and time again.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='807111' first='Reagan' last='Lyons'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple']</h2>   <p>Right alongside Oskey, [player_tooltip player_id='807111' first='Reagan' last='Lyons'] is such a dynamic player. Another lefty on this team, it creates for such a fascinating tandem to behold. For the most part, I was seeing Lyons run the offense for Pineapple, and she was cookin' here! With her size, athleticism and being a left handed player, she adds a whole new wrinkle to the game that opponents have to key in on at all times.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='562298' first='Cala' last='Haffner'] - [program_tooltip program_id='430155' first='Team' last='Pineapple']</h2>   <p>I am not one for arguing, but I'll argue this one is one of the best liberos in the class of 2028. Moreover, she may be one of the best in the 17 Open division and she's a year younger than the competition! [player_tooltip player_id='562298' first='Cala' last='Haffner'] is built different. From her defensive reads to her pristine touch on the reception, her touch is something to marvel at. You dig even deeper into her game and the out of system setting is some of the best you can find.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='586405' first='Chloe' last='Ritchie'] - Munciana</h2>   <p>Talking about young guns playing up in the age groups, [player_tooltip player_id='586405' first='Chloe' last='Ritchie'] is another one that's making herself known in the libero position. If there's anything to know about a Munciana libero, it's that they're tough as nails. Ritchie comes from a long line of elite level 'bros and she only compliments the legacy further. </p>   <p></p>   <p></p>   <p>--</p>   <p><strong><em><em><strong><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lshotvb/video/7629456204430937375?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7621309005139035661">IS THIS THE BEST MIDDLE BLOCKER IN THE 2028 CLASS?! 🤔 </a></strong></em></em></strong></p>   <p></p>   <p></p>

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