TOV Challenge #7 – Outsides That Left a Great Impression

Another weekend, another tournament in the club season in the great state of Texas. While several of the top teams in the Houston area took the weekend off, there were events going on and we were there following the action. Our choice this past weekend was the TOV Challenge #7, which took place at the Texas One Volleyball Club, in Richmond, where eight teams competed in the 18s Division and 12 hit the court among the 17s. As usual, we’re presenting the most impressive players in each position during the weekend, following with our selection for the All-Tournament Teams in both divisions. In today’s article, we’ll present some of the most interesting outside hitters.   Caroline Simpson – Woodlands Revolution 18 Adidas – HS: The Woodlands – 2022 A very skilled outside hitter, Caroline Simpson is a complete player, who helps her team in a variety of ways. She’s not tremendously tall at 5’9”, but is extremely productive at the net with her ability to hit around the block and find open spots on the court. Simpson is solid on the backcourt too, being able to play as a defensive specialist, and has a very high volleyball IQ, which shows in the smart decisions she makes when in difficult moments. She has committed to Brookhaven College. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12201325/624fe006da5b600b248b718a" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   [player_tooltip player_id="99522" first="Keira" last="Herron"] – Woodlands Revolution 18 Premier - HS: College Station – 2022 Widely recognized as one of the top liberos in her age group in the Houston area, [player_tooltip player_id="99522" first="Keira" last="Herron"] was moved to the pin for this event and didn’t disappoint. As expected, she gave her team a lot of stability on the backcourt, with reliable passing and excellent defensive skills, but also proved to be an effective player at the net with a smart shot selection and great ability to place the ball wherever she wants. It’s easy to see how the 5’9” Herron, who’s an Oregon State commit, loves the sport when she’s on the court. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11980548/6242c76e8cd3cd0854ea1d01" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Kaylyn Taylor – AVA TX 18 Power – HS: Fort Bend Clements – 2022 The 5’8” Kaylyn Taylor was the best offensive player on her team AVA TX 18 Power. She’s very explosive at the net and does an excellent job of making contact with the ball at the highest possible point. Taylor has a lot of firepower on her right arm and knows exactly when to use it, mixing it up hard-driven hits with more technical plays. She was highly productive in her last high school season with Fort Bend Clements, registering 272 kills, 333 digs, 676 passes and 50 aces. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13653355/61d542c36e8139097ce7c639" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   Isabella Waggoner – AVA TX 18 Attack – HS: Texas City - 2022 Another player who normally plays as a libero and was asked to hit, Isabella Waggoner also did well as an outside hitter. The 5’7” prospect showed great intelligence at the net, but stood out for her defensive skills. Waggoner was nearly flawless when it comes to serve-receive and defense and has a bright future as a backcourt player at St. Mary’s University. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/7381138/622c6724ff0d08159cb3bc91" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   Kenadi Hall – Texas Hurricane 17 CAT 5 – HS: Clear Lake – 2023 A very complete player, Kenadi Hall was the heart and soul of her Texas Hurricane 17 CAT 5 team. The 5’8” pin hitter is very talented on the backcourt and also has a solid game at the net. Hall has good reach and power on her right arm and makes things difficult for opposing blockers by hitting from the left and the middle. She’s a very intelligent player on the court and is always 100% focused on the match as nothing seems to catch her off-guard. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14238228/617947e702b218047cc036f0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>   Malia Cardella – FR Premier Jrs 17 Gold – HS: Clear Lake – 2023 A talented and complete player, Malia Cardella helped her team FR Premier Jrs 17 Gold achieve a great campaign in the tournament. She’s not extremely tall, but knows her way around the net and does an excellent job in tooling the block when can’t hit around it. Cardella is also very solid on the backcourt and had one of the best serves of the tournament.   Sophie Harlan – H Skyline 17 White – HS: Memorial – 2023 A long, athletic and explosive pin hitter, Sophie Harlan was the centerpiece of her Houston Skyline 17 White team. She’s got a lot of power on her right arm and is very intelligent when changing her rhythm at the net. Her offensive production is very what sets her apart, but Harlan is also a solid defensive player, significantly contributing with passing and defense.