Prep Dig Gauntlet Early Risers
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We kicked off the Gauntlet this morning, and plenty of bright-eyed athletes were ready to show off this morning. We saw dynamic defensive plays, smooth setters, and explosive attackers. Here are a few early risers that caught my eye during…
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Continue ReadingWe kicked off the Gauntlet this morning, and plenty of bright-eyed athletes were ready to show off this morning. We saw dynamic defensive plays, smooth setters, and explosive attackers. Here are a few early risers that caught my eye during the morning wave of action!
I really love her patience when she attacks because she can time it just right. Johnson lets the block fly by before swinging down the line or hitting a hard cross court shot. She works around the block and does a nice job mixing up her shots.
Street owns the net offensively and defensively. She takes a monster swing and follows it with a big block to get her team the point. She does a great job landing from a block and being able to turn and play the ball. Street is very active and has a high motor that keeps her working all the edges of the block in front of her.
Jones is a springy pin hitter that is not afraid to go after the ball. She gets off the ground quickly and destroys the overpass. Jones is also highly terminal from either pin. Love her consistent versatility.
Highlights
Vetter is an explosive left handed attacker. She plays a strong middle back defense when she gets to the back row and knows how to go on a big serving run. Her swing is electric when she gets up to the net and I love how the coaches have utilized her by thinking outside of the box for their rotation.
Highlights
Ogunleye gets off the ground quickly and she is always ready to take a big swing. She runs a smooth route for a 3 and can terminate at will.
Scheiber is scrappy as an off blocker to defend the attack and work hard in transition. As an attacker she can tag the endline for a kill. She’s a 6 rotation player taht sets when she gets to the backrow but the focus is always to take care of the ball and she does it well.
Highlights
Kohnen was hustling all over the floor! First I saw her dive past the endline to save a stray ball and then she got up and sprinted back to the net to put up a block. The very next set goes to her on the right side where she uses a crafty roll shot for the kill and point.
Bjork may be the definition of consistent. She works hard in every play, and whether in serve receive or transition she is available to attack. Bjork is consistently closing the block and with sound pin blocker this gives attackers a lot of issues.
Highlights
Keegan jump sets almost everything that is put in the air. She gets hands on just about every 2nd ball and gives her attackers a lot ofr options. Keegan also does a great job of getting up as a blocker and surrounding the ball to put it back into the opposing teams court.
Uhwat hits the ball hard off the hands of the blcok and will send it out of bounds for a guaranteed point. She also sets up a really well timed block and comes up big for her team when they need it the most.
Burley gets a TON of touches as the commander of the back court. She has great reactions and is everywhere on the court. Burley gets around the ball and takes care of the cut shot, behind the off blocker as well as controls the hard driven ball and keeps it off the net.
Highlights
Major is a really spring and explosive athlete. She calls for the ball whether she is in the front or back row and she is always making herself an option for her setter. Major uses really smart shots as well as always being ready to take a big swing.
Highlights
Keaveny gives her setters an additional option to set out of the back row. She’s definitely put some work into this since I last saw her play in Kansas City. Keaveny serves up a sneaky short serve as well as does a nice job setting herself up defensively.
Highlights
Paetzel plays scrappy off blocker defense and knows how to set up a strong block. At one point I thought her left hand might be on fire because everything she was touching, she would score! She has a nice high contact and a knack for finding the open court.
Baune does a great job knowing just how to score on her opponents. She uses the block with skill and when she sees a split in the block she exposes it for the point.
Dombeck is a total firecracker! She brings a tough serve as she rotates in and consistently goes on long service runs. If the opposing team can return her serve, she finds the hot hand to terminate the next ball she dishes. Her team definitely feeds off her energy.
Klein is a lefty that isElsen’t afraid to take a hard swing in transition. She will demolish the overpass if it enters her airspace. Klein also sets up a really strong block with her middles.
Kunze-Hoeg is quick to the ball and she is skillful at giving her attackers a lot of options. She moves the ball around skillfully and knows how to run an offense.