Going Gauntlet Preview: NIVA 17 PURPLE

<a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/">This article was shared with 150+ college coaches. Join PrepDig with 30% off using code: digdakotas30</a>   <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigdakotas/?hl=en">Follow on Instagram@prepdigdakotas</a>   This is the time of year where you can start to feel which teams are figuring it out and which ones are still searching. With USAV Nationals getting closer, everything tightens up. The pace is faster, mistakes show up quicker, and the teams that can stay in system and manage those swings in momentum are the ones that start separating.   This group is starting to look like they are settling into who they are.   It starts with first contact. When [player_tooltip player_id='942681' first='Isabella' last='Gerard'] and [player_tooltip player_id='521569' first='Jenna' last='VanBruaene'] are passing clean, everything opens up. The offense does not feel rushed, and now the setters have options across the board. That is where you start to see the difference. Instead of forcing balls to one spot, they can move it, spread the court, and make blockers have to make decisions.   [player_tooltip player_id='942680' first='Rylee' last='Drummond'] and Rylie Rosenkranz do a good job managing that flow. Drummond brings that ability to not only run the offense but also be a scoring option on the right side, and that changes how defenses have to line up. You cannot just sit on the pins when she is in the front row. Rosenkranz keeps things steady and makes sure hitters are getting balls they can actually work with. She is not overcomplicating anything, just keeping the offense moving and in rhythm.   When those two are on the same page, the tempo starts to build.   On the pins, there are multiple players who can take over stretches of a match. [player_tooltip player_id='833621' first='Kambria' last='Burns'] is one of those players who does not wait for perfect. She stays aggressive, even when the set is off, and finds ways to put pressure on the defense. That ability to generate offense when things are not clean is a big piece this time of year.   Ella Laskowski brings a different feel. There is control in how she plays. She is not just swinging hard, she is seeing the block, working around it, and staying efficient. Committed to IU Indy, you can see the maturity in her game, especially when rallies extend and she still finds ways to score.   [player_tooltip player_id='771810' first='Anna' last='McCullough'] continues to give them another option who stays involved across rotations. She does not drift out of plays. She stays available, and that matters when you are trying to keep an offense balanced.   [player_tooltip player_id='752515' first='Serenity' last='Rodriguez'] adds another layer because she is not tied to one role. She can move between the pin and the middle, and that creates moments where the defense has to adjust on the fly. She stays active and gives them another piece that keeps the offense from becoming predictable.   Through the middle, [player_tooltip player_id='827045' first='Leighton' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='506389' first='Sophia' last='Stein'] are starting to make more of an impact beyond just running quicks. Brown stays active and continues to make herself available, which keeps the middle a real threat instead of something teams can ignore. That alone opens things up on the outside.   Stein is starting to close space better at the net. You can see her getting set earlier, taking away angles, and forcing hitters into tougher swings. It might not always show up as a block, but it shows up in how the other side has to adjust.   [player_tooltip player_id='840031' first='Alina' last='Phillips'] on the right side gives them another option that holds up when the system is not perfect. She is not just putting the ball back over. She is taking swings, staying aggressive, and making the defense stay engaged.   Where this team has really started to grow is in those longer rallies.   Early in the season, maybe those are points that slip away. Now, they are staying in them. The ball gets dug, they reset, and they go again. There is not a lot of panic. They are not rushing to end the play. They are staying in it and giving themselves another chance.   That is where you start to see the difference in teams.   You also start to see it at the net. The block is getting more disciplined. They are closing seams better, taking away angles, and working with the defense behind them. It is not just one piece doing its job. It is starting to connect across the court.   And when they get rolling, you can feel it.   It builds through the small things first. A good pass. A clean set. A smart swing. Then it turns into a block. Then a transition kill. Then another rally where they stay in it and win the point. It stacks, and suddenly the momentum is on their side.   They are vocal. They feed off each other. And they do a good job turning those moments into runs.   Heading into The Gauntlet, this is not a team trying to figure things out anymore. They are tightening things up. They are playing with purpose and getting ready for the type of matches they are going to see at Nationals.   They are not going to overwhelm teams with one player. They are going to make you play. They are going to make you earn points. And if you are not disciplined, they will take advantage of it.   For college coaches, this is a team where you can see how players operate when the game is not perfect. Who stays in system. Who makes good decisions. Who competes through longer rallies. Those are the things that carry over.   If you are in the gym, this is not a team you watch for a few points and move on. Stay for a set. Watch how the ball moves. Watch how they respond when things break down.   That is where you start to see what kind of team they are becoming.   And right now, they are trending in the right direction at the right time.~Theresa@prepdigdakotas   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">In Case You Missed It</h2>   <figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://prepdig.com/dakotas/"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/05/image_5b1fa1.png?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-987083" /></a></figure>

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