The Middles Who Take Space Away at the Net

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/subscribe/">Six blockers, six ways to take space away. Unlock full profiles with code Coachable247 for 30% off.</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In all three CIF-SS finals last Saturday, the team that out-blocked its opponent lost. Sierra Canyon out-blocked Mater Dei 10 to 8. Redondo Union out-blocked Long Beach Poly 15 to 7. Newbury Park out-blocked Corona del Mar 12 to 5. Blocks did not decide those matches, but how a middle makes them tells coaches a lot: the first step, the talk and the read on the hitter. Most of Redondo's blocks came from seniors, led by [player_tooltip player_id='775554' first='Sienna' last='Castillo'] and [player_tooltip player_id='536929' first='Abbie' last='Hairrell']. Six underclass blockers are below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1056631"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4f23a66e8c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1056631' first='Emma' last='Lundmark'] finished the Division 3 final with a solo block and nine block assists, and she hit 3-1-11 with an assist. The blocking was her match. It helped Newbury Park out-block Corona del Mar 12 to 5.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>My notes have her all match: a solo block in the middle with a strong press in the first set, a huge block on the outside in the second, locked in and moving in the third. In the fourth she and [player_tooltip player_id='542201' first='Keira' last='Overbeck'] put up a back-to-back block on the outside hitter, and she read her hitter really well. She also hit a three in the middle for a kill to the left side. She told us what she learned about closing the block.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I learned that in order to close the block I have to take a big first step and that is the most important. In the final game we were blocking line and as a middle, it is harder to close, so my biggest goal was to close the block so the defense could be successful. And I would like college coaches to know that I try to put in all my effort and determination when I'm at the net and I am always looking for ways to improve my playing, even after a good game.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Her answer is about footwork and about her teammates' job. She names the first step as the key and says her goal was to close the block so the defense could succeed. College coaches should put her on their 2029 middle list: a 6'2" blocker who thinks about her defense and keeps improving after a good game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Newbury Park plays at San Marcos in the CIF State Division II semifinals on Saturday, November 14 at 6 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["748210"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4f23a66ea5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='748210' first='Jael' last='Smith'] put up six block assists in the Division 1 final, including back-to-back blocks in the fourth set. At the pin, she hit one kill with six errors on eight swings, so the swing was not clean. The net was. She sealed the outside with [player_tooltip player_id='545359' first='Saaliyah' last='Brown'] in the first set, hit a strong ball in the middle in the second that avoided the block and found the angle, and put up a huge block on the middle in the third.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has been in our coverage all fall. PrepDig has her as the No. 1 2029 middle in California. On 7/31 she was Top Performing Middle Blocker at the SoCal Sophomore ID Camp. Before the Santa Margarita match she told us, “Making a play does not always mean you're the one scoring. I can pull a blocker with a strong approach. I can take up space for my back row just by being up with a block.” In that match she led Mater Dei with six blocks, three of them solo. After the final, she told us what the night taught her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Last night I learned that my team's excellence isn't something that can be turned off. In all of the tough moments we endured, we were still able to come together and pull through. For my own growth, this has helped me to realize that trust is one of the biggest assets a team can have. At the end of the day, when we step on the court, all we have is each other.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Having the block of the night felt so empowering. Being able to take my coaches' words and translate them into the game gave me a sense of confirmation in myself. In that moment, I was able to make a statement that we were willing to do anything to bring this victory home. Actions will always speak louder than words.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She said it herself: she took her coaches' words and put them into the game. College coaches who want a 6'3" middle who already reads hitters and carries the block in a final should put her at the top of the 2029 list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mater Dei hosts Cathedral Catholic on Saturday, November 14 at 6 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["474505"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4f23a66eb4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='474505' first='Raneighla' last='Gonzalez'] has a small box line in the Division 1 final: three swings and three block assists. In the second set she and [player_tooltip player_id='545313' first='Hanna' last='McGinest'] set up a strong block, in a match Sierra Canyon out-blocked Mater Dei 10 to 8.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has been in our coverage since May, when we featured her at the UA Next Camp Series. After the final, she told us what her teammates give her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I learned that my team has some of the most resilient female athletes in the High School Volleyball world to date. They've had my back and pushed me all season long and not once did they allow their belief in me to waver no matter the circumstances. As we move into the state playoffs it will be Lucky's [Fasavalu] trust, Kendall's [Omoruyi] reassurance and chest bump, McKenna's [McIntosh] you got this, Eva's [Jeffries] I got you, Hanna's [McGinest] hype words, and Blake's [Gurney] confidence to reset, lock in, and execute.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That is a middle who knows her job is bigger than her swings. She names every teammate and what each gives her. College coaches should add a 2028 right side and middle who stays ready on a deep roster and shows up on the block when called.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sierra Canyon hosts Torrey Pines on Saturday, November 14 at 6 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1060995"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4f23a66ecd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1060995' first='Cooper' last='Piercey'] finished with four kills, three errors and two block assists for Corona del Mar. Three of her four kills came in the fourth set, so she waited for her chance. In the meantime she blocked: a strong block on the outside in the second set, and another with Myrsini Charalabidi in the third. She also talked. In the third set she let her setter know she was an option. In the fifth she stayed ready for the set in the middle, and when she got it, she delivered. She also made a great block in the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>College coaches should track a 2028 middle who stays ready for her chance and keeps talking while she waits.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She is with Momentous 17 Laura this club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["708497"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4f23a66ed9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='708497' first='Lailah' last='Clayborne'] finished with one kill, one error, two digs and a block assist on five swings. Poly's offense ran through [player_tooltip player_id='492317' first='McKennah' last='Iamaleava'], [player_tooltip player_id='524595' first='Avery' last='Milburn'] and [player_tooltip player_id='755952' first='Aleeya' last='Salima'], who took 150 of the team's 186 swings. Clayborne still did her job. She joined a firm block on the outside hitter in the first set, and in the third she flew in for a strong hit through the block in the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has been in our coverage since the HBCU Showcase in July 2025. In December she was a Top Performer at PrepDig's Exposure Tour in Gardena and told us she wants to be a terminal pin hitter. In April, she told us what she wants coaches to notice.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“I want coaches to notice how I demand the ball, lead on the court, and still do my part even when I'm not being set.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That fits the final. She was not the first option, and she still blocked, hit when called on and kept talking. She also named her growth this year: Most Improved on her beach team and a 24-inch standing vertical. College coaches should note a 2028 middle and opposite who communicates through every rally and keeps developing her game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She is with South Bay VBC 16 Gerald this club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1061113"],"_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"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6af4f23a66ec1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1061113' first='Kyleigh' last='Jen'] finished with a solo block, a block assist, five assists and four kills at .250 (4-2-8). She did a little of everything in the title match. In the second set she took a solo block at the net and gave her team energy. Later, a perfect pass and a smart tip led into a strong block. In the third set she tipped into the middle and to the right side, and in the fourth she committed to her assignment and went in for a kill on a one set. She also helped Corona del Mar battle back from the service line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She has been on our 2029 list since June 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>College coaches should note a 2029 middle who blocks, serves, tips and sets in the same match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She is with Balboa Bay 16-1 this club season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">What These Blockers Showed Us</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Closing the block starts with the first step, and Lundmark said so herself. Smith took the net away and put coaching into the game. Gonzalez stayed ready on a deep team. Jen and Piercey did the small things that show up in a title match. Clayborne did her job when the ball went somewhere else. Coaches should watch who is still doing the work when the set goes to someone else.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>All stats and results are sourced from MaxPreps</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Article Photo Credit @kennee.photos</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">If You Enjoyed This Article, Help Us Keep the Momentum Going</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>🔥 Athletes</strong><br><a href="https://prepdig.com/prospect-index/">Update your PrepDig Prospect Index profile</a> so it's complete and current, with a photo, your club, your school and your latest film. Explore the player profiles featured in this article and see how other athletes are building their stories. Then share this article and tag your teammates. 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