5 Players Propelled By The Playoff Push

Everyone knows having a “deep bench” is crucial as you get deeper into the post-season. These may be the players who don’t play as much or don’t start the match, but their impact on the team’s success is huge. They push their team further than they could ever imagine. Sometimes the team is pushed from the 6 rotation players that never leave the court, but both roles are incredibly important to the success of the team. Both roles are hard and require practice, challenging one another, and sacrificing for the team. They lift up their teammates, thrive under the pressure, and add an element other teams wish they had. These are 5 players who are a crucial part of a team’s success during the playoffs. These athletes’ contributions and talents have not gone unnoticed, and even though they aren’t all moving on to sectionals, we want to make sure to point out some of their great play in regionals. [player_tooltip player_id="119430" first="Caitlyn" last="Pernsteiner"] – Middle Blocker - Marshfield Marshfield managed to get the three seed in their D1 sectional. The Tiger’s pin hitters are definitely the core of the attack, but Persteiner is one of the most terminal weapons on the team and had a fun moment in the 3rd set when she got the kill that gave her setter, Reinya Balderson her 1,000th assist. Their success has been largely due to Balderson's ball control ability to move the ball around and keep the defense guessing. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC01775-crop-4072x2674-1635192718.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-162940" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC01775-crop-4072x2674-1635192718-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="158540" first="Kara" last="Sowinski"] – 2022 – Setter/Defensive Specialist – Three Lakes I’m not sure she’s always been a setter, and I could totally see her in a defensive role. She is a HUGE key to this roster. Sowinski’s role is totally selfless and all about making her hitters look awesome. In their sweep of Gresham Community, she tallied 25 assists, but her play was so much bigger than those 25 assists. She was throwing herself across the floor to keep a ball from dropping and then twisting and turning in almost gymnastic-like moves to get the ball to her hot-handed hitter. No matter, she is doing everything she can to get that win.   [player_tooltip player_id="144432" first="Kayla" last="Wigley"] – 2022 – 5’10 - Outside Hitter – Wisconsin Lutheran Wigley has played in well over 100 sets and she has done a great job of making the most of her swings. Her hang time, along with a powerful swing, makes for a very terminal attack. Last week in their win against Pius, she hit a solid .500 with 11 kills, 2 errors in 18 attempts. Look for her to continue as an impact player during their Sectional Semi-final against Mukwonago on Thursday, October 28th. <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-162953" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC01544.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="91871" first="Laine" last="Ilkka"] – 2023 – Outside Hitter - Pacelli Ilkka is a solid contributor for her gritty squad. As a junior she already has a lot of experience, and it shows in her confidence when she takes a big swing in the tense moment. Ilkka is a smart player who can turn a hard line or power through the block. Her biggest impact has been the confidence with which her team plays when she steps on the court. [player_tooltip player_id="122559" first="Courtney" last="Sommer"] – 2024 – Middle Blocker/Setter – Columbus Catholic Columbus Catholic is 26-10 for the season, and Sommer is a big reason why. She isn’t like many middles who end up just playing the front row because she takes on another labor-intensive role as the setter in the back row. Sommer doesn’t lead the team in kills, but she definitely makes her presence known on the attack. She’s a competitor who shows her desire to win in every rotation.