Defense Dominates at USAV Nationals in Detroit

Rachel Kass July 5, 2018 @ 12:04 PM

The USAV Girls Junior National Championship was intense. Every team there to win. And behind every win is a solid defense. Everywhere you looked were liberos or defenders being leaders on their team, taking an active role on offense as well as defense, and making digs I thought for sure would never be touched. There were several Badger Region defenders who made an impact in Detroit: Kady Stigler (Wisconsin Premier 15 Teal, Class of 2021, Menomonee Falls High School): Has an electric personality on the court. Through thick and thin, her teammates looked to her to pump them up and keep them motivated. Kady seems to fly over the court while simultaneously running a very controlled back row. Mia Caputa (Wisconsin Premier 15 Teal, Class of 2021, Homestead High School): A very strong server as well as defender. Complements team libero, Kady Stigler well. Mia went on a 12 point serving run against Shockwave 15 Elite, and was a major player in their 25-10, 25-17 win over them. Ally Longden (Midwest Penguins 15 Black, Class of 2021, Pewaukee High School): Every time you look at Ally on the court she looks like she is having the time of her life. Clearly a very passionate player, she is always giving it her all and never gives up on the ball. She seems to know exactly where the ball is going and has a very positive presence on the court. Rachel Travis (Wisconsin Ice 15 Purple, Class of 2021): You would be hard pressed to find a tip that got past Rachel Travis. Her coverage on the court is spectacular and she is all over the court. Her tip coverage is some of the best I’ve seen. She also has a very controlled swing out of the back row that helped her team remain strong in out of system plays. Ammerae Peebles (PoWer Green Bay 16 Green, Class of 2020, Notre Dame Academy): Ammerae has a very positive attitude that affects the entire team. She is very quick, reads the ball well, and seems to cover the entire court. She is the definition of a great teammate: working hard, staying positive, and knowing what works with each individual on her team. Kayla Kraus (FC Elite 17 Navy, Class of 2019, Neenah High School,Committed to Loyola University): Kayla is such an amazing volleyball player. She is fast yet controlled, positive yet motivating, and just a phenomenal athlete all around. Committed to Loyola University she is sure to make a great impact on their team in the future. Passers are such an instrumental part of the game of volleyball, and sometimes get overlooked; however, there was no way to look past these amazing athletes and the impact they made on their respective teams at the USAV Girls Junior National Championship held this past week.