Making It Happen: Setters Running the Offense This Fall

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/"><strong>More than 150 college coaches shared this article.</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Join PrepDig and get 30% off with code "digdakotas30."</strong></a></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/prepdigdakotas/?hl=en">Follow on Instagram @prepdigdakota.</a></em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These setters have wasted absolutely no time getting comfortable this fall. The connection with their hitters is there, the offense is moving, and they're playing with confidence. That's what caught my attention with this group. They're not just sending up a hittable ball, and they're making things happen and giving their teams a chance to score from all over the net. These setters have been putting up some really fun starts, and these are a few that have me talking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kenzie Strasburg","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Park Rapids","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab707419456f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kenzie Strasburg is only a sophomore, but she's already showing she can handle a lot on her plate. What has caught my attention is how comfortable she looks moving the ball around and involving different hitters. She isn't afraid to change where she's going with the set, and when the offense gets moving, Strasburg can make a defense work to figure out where the next ball is headed. There's plenty of volleyball still ahead of her, but she's already running things with confidence. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Addison Chung","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Maple Grove","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab7074194668"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Addison Chung understands when an offense needs to move and when it needs to settle down. That senior experience shows in the choices she's making with the ball. If somebody is rolling, Chung will find her again. If the block starts sitting on one option, she can move it somewhere else. I like that awareness from a setter. She isn't just delivering the ball and she's paying attention to what is happening across the net and working from there. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1005327"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab70741946d3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1005327' first='Sophie' last='Kaercher'] can make you defend more than one part of the net. She gets her pins involved, but I really like when she can establish something through the middle because it changes what the block can get away with. Once Kaercher has multiple hitters available, she has options, and that's where she can be fun to watch. She's showing a nice feel for distributing the ball and not allowing an offense to become too predictable. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["889541"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab707419472e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Forget the freshman label for a second; [player_tooltip player_id='889541' first='Claire' last='Sherburne'] is already being trusted to run an offense. What I want to watch with a young setter is what happens when the pass isn't sitting right on top of her. Sherburne is learning to get herself to that second ball, square things up, and still give a hitter a chance. That's valuable experience to get such an early stage. There will be growing moments, but there is also a lot to work with here. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1008449"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab70741947bd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1008449' first='Chase' last='Manthey'] is showing us a setter who can figure things out. That's a big piece of the position for me. Not every match will go as expected, and Manthey is willing to adjust where she sets the ball instead of forcing something that isn't there. She brings experience, knows how to get an offense back into rhythm, and gives her hitters steady handling on second contact. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["736226"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab7074194843"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='736226' first='Libby' last='Sussner'] brings a steady presence to the setter position, especially when a rally goes out of system. She does an impressive job working to the second ball, getting herself in position and giving her hitters something they can attack even when the first contact isn't ideal. That ability to keep an offense functional through difficult plays is valuable. Sussner brings senior experience, composure, and consistency to the position, and she's been applying all three this fall. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Marley Knutson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32561","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hawley","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ab7074194925"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Marley Knutson is getting plenty of work this fall, and I like the rhythm she's creating with her hitters. There's a difference between simply getting the ball to somebody and putting it in a spot where that hitter can really go after it. Knutson is giving her attackers opportunities to be aggressive, and as those connections develop, you can see the offense start to come together. For a senior setter, that's exactly where you want to be, connected with your hitters and making their jobs a little easier. <strong><em>~Theresa@prepdigdakotas</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thank you to all my readers for making this journey possible. My goal has always been simple: to shine a light on athletes at every level, from Division I to NAIA, and give them a platform to keep chasing their love for the game. 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