Underclassmen who Showed up and Showed Out at the Iowa Sizzle

Competing at the varsity level can be incredibly demanding and sometimes even stressful, especially for these fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds playing against the top juniors/ seniors in the state. Some underclassmen can't handle the pressure, and some flourish. Many younger athletes did a great job competing, but these were the few that you couldn't even tell were underclassmen.        Although Assumption has a wide variety of talented defensive specialists, Needham made her way into the varsity lineup. After watching her performance this last week, it's easy to understand why. The freshman DS was not only able to hold her own but also excelled going up against some of the top servers in the state. Kinsley had quick feet paired with beautiful angles, which resulted in stellar passing both on serve receive and in defense. Needham makes an amazing addition to Assumption's already stellar back row.     Ellard didn't have many swings to start, but once she got going, she was unstoppable. The freshman showcased a fast arm swing and a big block on both pins. My favorite part about watching Ellard was the fearlessness in her play. She didn't care who was on the other side of the net; she had confidence in her swinging ability, and it showed. She did a fantastic job of continuously finding the holes in the block and remained aggressive and consistent through both days of the scrimmages.     Coming in to set at the varsity level is an extremely tough thing to do, especially as a freshman. You are expected to run an offense, set the pace of the game, and set your hitters up for success. Ellie Matthes, a freshman setter from Williamsburg, did exactly that. Matthes wasted no time meshing with her hitters. She did a fantastic job running a successful, fast offense and did her part on defense, getting a few solid digs. Matthes took the opportunity and ran with it, and I hope that rolls into this season as well.     Bettendorf has a very strong group of hitters, and Mitton fits in with them perfectly. I've been able to watch Sarah over the last few years, and her growth has been immeasurable. I don't know what she has done over the last few months, but she looked like a whole new player. She was putting balls away like no other, and her hitting range was astounding. After watching her perform, I am excited to see how she continues to grow throughout this season with the competitive group of girls at Bettendorf.     I've been able to watch Maggie over the last year, and she is always one of my favorites. She does a fantastic job of keeping the back row under control and really sets a standard. She's not going to let a ball drop without going all out to try and get it up. Aside from her skill, she plays with a leadership mentality by always finding ways to uplift her teammates. Jensen left me very impressed with the big plays she was making, and now I'm very excited to see what else she has to offer this season.     Piper Peterson plays on a completely different level compared to most freshmen. She has a drive like no other, and you can just tell she's one of the hardest workers in the gym. I was impressed with the maturity that she brought into her gameplay. She made great connections with the ball and was able to find every line on the court. Peterson already has a crazy amount of speed, power, and range as a freshman. It will be extremely fun watching her continue to grow as an athlete over the next few years. If she continues to keep this drive, she is going to be a big weapon for Assumption not only this season, but for many seasons to follow.

Competing at the varsity level can be incredibly demanding and sometimes even stressful, especially for these fifteen- and sixteen-year-olds playing against the top juniors/ seniors in the state. Some underclassmen can't handle the pressure, and some flourish. Many younger athletes did a great job competing, but these were the few that you couldn't even tell were underclassmen.