More 17U Impact Performers at USAV Club Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ashlyn Clay</strong> - 2027 | RS | Putnam VBC Heat<br>One of the key arms for this Putnam team from West Virginia, Clay helped her team advance to the quarterfinals in the gold bracket. With abilty to bring some big pace, the 5'11 pin can score through different routes and attack points. She has good vision and ability to find space and swing through it aggressively and with a lot of force on the ball. Clay is a proven point scorer with nearly 450 total kills during the 2025 high school season with a confident approach to her movement and arm action in the air. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lauren Pleska</strong> - 2028 | OH | Putnam VBC Heat<br>Another key arm for this team, Pleska does aggressive work as a 5'8 primary pin and passer. Her footwork as part of her approach is fluid with good slow-to-fast momentum build to get her on time and balance in the air. When she contacts at the top of her jump she shows good control to move the ball around and challenging the edges of the defense well. Pleska displayed big force of contact to drive the ball for good pressure on the opponent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ellah Smith</strong> - 2028 | S | Putnam VBC Heat <br>Smith is a 5'9 setter also from West Virginia and was the floor leader for this Putnam team that had a great tournament. Her movement is patient and fluid as she gets her feet to the ball well with her hands high making her available to set a variety of options. Her offensive decisions were varied in that she used her back row often along with middles in different ways that all helped to limit overuse and pressure on her pins. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kiersten Jones </strong>- 2027 | OH | GPA 17 Green Elite<br>Jones packed a punch into her 5'5 frame as a primary outside hitter for this team. Don't understimate her size or ability to be an offensive threat. Her attacking effort is skilled in her movement and approach as she is not afraid to challenge the block in front of her. She can put some good force on the ball with ability to tool defenders with good range in her swing. Jones is also a factor in the back row with her defense and passing where she has made good impact for her Licking Heights team last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Madison Smith</strong> - 2027 | S | GPA 17 Green Elite<br>A 5'7 setter with good experience behind her, Smith did a good job of leading this offense throughout the weekend as they were just shy of advancing to the gold bracket. She is simple in her movement to the ball including getting on balacne with her hands up early. This helped her to sustain her soft touch and extension to run a varied offense with good location and different tempos to her group of attackers. From Pickerington North, she will head into her senior season with 1,550 career assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->