PINS that Powered Through Prep Dig Sizzle

The Prep Dig Sizzle was a great way for pin hitters to showcase their power, speed, and court awareness. Between nasty cut shots, powerful swings from the pipe, and scrappy pickups from the back row, the pins did a beautiful job of bringing versatility to the court. There was an insane number of well-rounded pins that were able to get the job done.   After watching two great days of volleyball, I came up with a list of some pins that really stood out to me. Whether it was their speed, powerful swing, six-rotation abilities, or just the presence they brought to the court. Take a look at some of the pins who impressed me the most.   Want to see more event coverage, in-game coverage, stories, and more? Make sure to give me a follow on Instagram @Prepdigmarissa!    I was so impressed with how heavy [player_tooltip player_id='805985' first='Kaitlin' last='Loria']'s swing was at this event. Her having a powerful swing is nothing new, but it seems like it gets stronger every time I watch her. It didn't matter where I was looking in the gym; I could tell when she was swinging simply by the sound of her contact. With this being Loria's senior year and City High having a fairly strong group, I think this could be the year that she leads the Hawkettes to the State Tournament.     I am hoping that this is the true breakout year for junior [player_tooltip player_id='851222' first='Clare' last='Gordon']. Although Liberty had quite the depth, Gordon had no trouble standing out. She didn't do anything super crazy, but she was quick, versatile, and an all-around fun player to watch. She became one of Liberty's reliable scorers and was the first to bring the energy. I'm hoping we get to see a lot more of Gordon this fall and see what she can do for Liberty.     I wasn't sure what to expect from Schroeder before watching her play. I haven't seen her play much, and she was dealing with some pain before getting on the court. But you wouldn't have been able to tell after watching her performance on the court. She is an athlete who makes her presence known the minute she steps on the court. Although she wasn't the biggest pin in the gym, she made up for it with her speed and ability to get around the block.     Union had some powerful pins that showed up this week, and one that really caught my eye was Estling. She was another athlete who wasn't the biggest, but she made up for it with her amazing jumping ability. Her approach and arm speed helped her to beat out her blockers and put the ball away. Once she got going, she did a fantastic job of putting the ball away on the pins. Similar to last year, I think Estling will be another top scorer for the Knights this upcoming season.     Frey was another lethal six-rotation outside that showed out at Iowa Sizzle this week. This SFA commit wasted no time showing the Iowa girls what Wisconsin is about. She was able to score not only on the outside, but also by ripping the pipe ball out of the back row. She also remained consistent on serve receive and aggressive on defense. With the exceptional gameplay in the front and back row, I am curious to see how she contributes at the next level.     There is no denying that Schlarbaum is one of CCA's most lethal weapons. I was very impressed with the contribution she made in every single rotation. At the net, she remained aggressive and did a phenomenal job of always finding a way through the blockers. The junior also had a very sharp cut shot that her opponents couldn't seem to pick up. Even when Shlarbaum was in the back row, she still found ways to score, not only off of her amazing top spin serve but also from back row attacks.     After watching Cotton play, I could tell she is coming into this season ready to chase another state title. The six-rotation junior played a key role in her team's success last season, and I don't think this year will be any different. I was curious to see how Cotton would do without having Kelley as their setter. But she did an amazing job adjusting and finding ways to score off of sophomore setter [player_tooltip player_id='946877' first='Natalie' last='DePoorter']. I am very excited to see Belle become even more of a leader now that she is an upperclassman.     I haven't seen Suhr play on the outside at all, so I was excited to see how she would perform. It was no surprise that she exceeded any expectations that I might've had. I knew she would do well at the net with her powerful swing and strong block. But what surprised me the most was her performance in the back row. She was calm and controlled on serve receive, and moved very well on defense. I am excited to see whether this is a permanent move by the Raiders, or if we will see her stepping into more than one role.     Kaitlyn is truly a defender's worst nightmare when she swings. Not only does she rip with no remorse, but she is an insanely tough hitter to read. One second you think she's going cross, then the next she's pulling out an insane crossbody line shot. She also does an amazing job finding the court by reading her defenders early on. She knows when and where to put the ball away, or when to simply tip right over the block. I think Amman is one of the weapons that Bettendorf needed to get on that postseason run.     [player_tooltip player_id='493658' first='Hattie' last='Galloway'] is another hitter that I was unexpectedly surprised to see playing on the pin. Every time I've gotten the chance to watch Galloway, she has been in the middle, so it was refreshing to see her flourish in another role. It was nice seeing her putting balls away on the pin, but also having the option to run the lethal two-ball from time to time. I think that once she hones in on her serve receive, she is going to be every team's worst nightmare.     It comes as no surprise that Union's top scorer, [player_tooltip player_id='830328' first='Bianca' last='Grimm'], was a standout at this event. Grimm did a fantastic job hitting the deep corners and powering through her blockers. Her defensive game was also one to remember; she did a great job filling the holes in the block and getting her feet to the ball. I think Banca is going to do an amazing job navigating her team through what should be a successful season for the Knights.     I was curious to see how Cinadr would perform under the pressure of being a freshman and competing against some of the top-ranked athletes in the state. But she proved that she could not only hold her own, but also excel under the pressure. She found a way to stay aggressive when out of system, but also knew when to put the ball away. I think this rising star is going to play a big role in the Knights' success this season.

The Prep Dig Sizzle was a great way for pin hitters to showcase their power, speed, and court awareness. Between nasty cut shots, powerful swings from the pipe, and scrappy pickups from the back row, the pins did a beautiful job of bringing versatility to the court. There was an insane number of well-rounded pins that were able to get the job done.