Ohio Teams and Athletes at 18U National Championships

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aside from the 18 Open divsion, there are several other Ohio teams and athletes that will be competing in Columbus among the six other divisions that will crown a national champion on Sunday. Here are some of those teams and athletes to look for.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NKYVC - #1 Seed | 18 National</strong><br>Although out of northern Kentucky, this team features some of Cincy area's top talent. The bulk of this team earned the silver medal last year in the 17 America division and returned a lot of their roster this season. They won the Pioneer Region bid tournament to earn their bid to the 18 National division. With a mix of Cincy area and northern Kentucky talent, this group has a shot to see the podium once again. Leading the way is [player_tooltip player_id='106678' first='Sydney' last='Nolan'], one of Kentucky's best prospects over the past few years. The versatile middle and pin hitter will likely see a lot of time as an outside hitter this weekend as she has the ability to dominate defenses with her contact point and arm speed. She is committed to North Carolina. [player_tooltip player_id='68147' first='Maya' last='Hunt'], committed to Marshall, has been setting this team for several years and will have one more shot to distribute this high potential offense. On the right pin is [player_tooltip player_id='157453' first='Peyton' last='Mast'], a lefty that has point scoring potential with good range and pace when she gets her feet to the ball and can contact on balance in the air. The New Haven commit has been a high school teammate of Nolan at Notre Dame Academy throughout her career, along with libero [player_tooltip player_id='157454' first='Kayla' last='Hostetler']. Hostetler recently changed her commitment for next year and will now attend Cincinnati, bringing with her a very reliable skill set as a passer and defender. From the Ohio side, look for pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='141697' first='Ava' last='Siefke'] (Eastern Michigan) and middle [player_tooltip player_id='141723' first='Sarah' last='Newberry'] (Lewis). Both have big upside as Siefke can pass, swing, and defend well at the net and Newberry brings an elevated presence in the middle with her arm and offensive range around the setter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>NOVA 18 Navy - #7 Seed | 18 National</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='169493' first='Jocelyn' last='Jourdan'] is the key arm for this team as she can get ahold of the ball well at the pins. The Youngstown State commit has good length and moves the ball around through the full scope of the floor with power. In the middle is [player_tooltip player_id='141706' first='Allana' last='Appleby'], a new addition to this roster this season. She is long and athletic with a high contact point. [player_tooltip player_id='114555' first='Natalie' last='Stepanovic'] is a 5'11 outside hitter that will head to Robert Morris next fall. She forms a nice tandem with Jourdan that will see a lot of volume in their opportunities collectively this weekend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TVC 18 Black - #14 seed | 18 American</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='141686' first='Avery' last='Adamski'] is this team's libero and committed to Toledo. She is fluid in her movement and provides a lot of stability in the serve receive and passing phases of the game. [player_tooltip player_id='141688' first='Sara' last='Pahl'] is a primary offensive option as the left side attacker can generate big pace. At 5'10, she has great timing to be able to get on top of the ball well. She will head to Grand Valley State next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GCVC 18 Silver - #17 Seed | 18 American</strong><br>[player_tooltip player_id='169491' first='Clara' last='Vondran'] will be the one to watch for this team as she has a big arm. She can handle volume and pressure well and finds success through her contact point and ability to swing through the full scope of the floor. <strong>Jenna McLaughlin</strong> provides a solid presence in the middle. She moves around the floor well, swings with a high elbow, and can score in front and behind the setter. They open against EVA 18 Elite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mintonette m.82 - #3 seed | 18 USA</strong><br>This squad has a legitimate shot at getting on the podium. In addition to competing in their home city, they feature some solid talent at various positions. [player_tooltip player_id='141700' first='Caroline' last='Berlekamp'], committed to Elon, is key to their net play on both sides of the ball as a middle. Middle [player_tooltip player_id='169527' first='Mercedes' last='Motton'] pairs with her well to offer a different look with her athleticism as the Stony Brook commit is quick and explosive, playing much bigger than her 5'8 frame. On the left pin is [player_tooltip player_id='141702' first='Surabhi' last='Srinivasan'], an Eastern Michigan commit that has good arm control and shot selection. Their first match is against OT 18 T Tony Friday afternoon. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->