Lone Star Regionals – 17 Bid – All-Tournament Team
In this article:
The George R. Brown Convention Center, in downtown Houston, was packed over the weekend with 80 volleyball courts, which staged the traditional Lone Star Regionals tournament, a national qualifier that attracted numerous teams from Houston and other cities in Texas,…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe George R. Brown Convention Center, in downtown Houston, was packed over the weekend with 80 volleyball courts, which staged the traditional Lone Star Regionals tournament, a national qualifier that attracted numerous teams from Houston and other cities in Texas, such as Austin and San Antonio.
I was in attendance on Sunday morning, following the gold bracket of the 17 Bid division, where the eight best teams in the group battled for a good finishing spot. There was plenty of talent on the courts and I’ve taken the week to highlight the players that stood out in their positions.
With all positions covered, it’s time we reveal our All-Tournament Team selections:
There were some really good setters in action during the weekend, but Fadal stood above the rest because of her excellent all-around game. The playmaker, who finished second with TAV Houston 17 Adidas, ran her team’s offense extremely well, getting the ball to her hitters in a very smooth and efficient way. Fadal was excellent in system, but also did a very good job when she had to chase passes and set away from the net. The setter was also solid with her serving and played some strong defense.
Highlights
Helms came up big for United VBA 17 Purple on several occasions and played a big role in the team’s victory in the division. The long and powerful right side hitter had no trouble scoring when in system and also used her offensive reach to put the ball down when set off the net. She came through in very important moments of matches and remained consistent all day, producing in every single match. Helms also made a difference with her blocking, getting stops at the net and creating issues for opposing pin hitters to score on her team.
Highlights
Emmerling was the main offensive player in her TAV Houston 17 Adidas team, getting on the ball a lot and scoring at a high volume. Very explosive with her offensive approach, she used her length and strong and skilled right arm to beat blockers and defenders. Emmerling displayed a well-diversified offensive game and managed to put the ball down in a variety of ways. Very technical, the pin hitter also did a very good job in her team’s passing system and had some good moments from the service line, scoring aces and getting opponents out of system.
Highlights
Church’s impressive offensive potential was a massive asset for division winners United VBA 17 Purple. Very explosive on the left, she was a reliable scoring option for the team, especially in out-of-system plays. She made contact with the ball at a very high point and was able to swing hard while also looking for the best angle and how to go around the blockers standing in front of her. Her high volleyball IQ made of Church a very efficient player as, despite her high usage rate, she made very few mistakes. The pin hitter was also very solid with her passing.
Highlights
Carter was a force in the middle for the Alamo 17 Premier team that finished third in the division. Very long and mobile, she knew how to make her presence felt at the net on both sides of the ball. The towering Carter was excellent offensively, combining quick feet and a very strong right arm and scored at a very high level all day. Her very technical blocker was also a big factor as she was able to make a lot of impact because of her ability to move quickly from pin to pin and the intelligent way in which she placed her arms on top of the net. The middle also had some good serving runs during the day.
Langi brought a very intense and efficient game at the net for division winners United VBA 17 Purple, playing with a lot of energy on both sides of the ball. Her blocking was very productive all day as the middle used her excellent physical tools and her superior reading of the game to get stops at the net and was also very active when dealing with overpasses. Not many opposing middles were able to stop Langi when she hit her quick sets down the middle either, making of her one of the team’s most productive offensive players.
Highlights
Avendano was electric on the backcourt for her STVA 17 Mizuno team that took seventh in the event. The skilled libero was actually a very good representation of her team, formed by players like her, who have excellent technical skills and play with a lot of heart and have fun on the court. Avendano’s defensive skills were right up there with the best in the division and she was excellent when digging hard-driven swings from opposing pin hitters at her left back position. The libero was also very precise when she had to set in transition and did a great job covering her hitters.