More Standouts at Albemarle Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The nice thing about a tournament is that you get an opportunity to watch a number of teams play. Who were some of the top players that opened my eyes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hidden Valley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464576' first='Sophie' last='Arnold']</strong> (left side) - Kansas State commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='196556' first='Caleigh' last='Ponn']</strong> sets the tone for this team. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='235285' first='Calli' last='Anderson']</strong> confirmed why she ranks as our fourth top setter among the class of 2025. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233482' first='Lauren' last='Whitaker']</strong> fills the libero role with hustle. Lots of players to like on this team. The player who opened my eyes the most was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464576' first='Sophie' last='Arnold']</strong>. The 5'10" left side hits the ball hard, providing another alternative to the left side. She can go cross court or pound it down the line, hitting it over or through any drifting blocks. She normally plays just three rotations but stays in the back row to serve. Not a player I remember from last year when watching this team play at Endless Summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Riverbend</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='309023' first='Allison' last='Lach']</strong> (left side) - The 6'3" James Madison commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='309022' first='Peri' last='Linterman']</strong> pounded balls from the middle. Not a surprise there. The surprise, [player_tooltip player_id='309023' first='Allison' last='Lach'] who played such a critical role for the Bears from the left side that you had to take note. During warmups you can hear the sound of the ball as it hits her hand and finds the floor. She plays solid defense in the back row. At 5'10" she hits the ball high, banging balls off the hands of the blockers. She was initially ranked in our class of 2025 but Allison belongs to the class of 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 5'11" sophomore setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='397536' first='Aubrey' last='Parker']</strong> also impressed. She ran a 5/1, showed good tempo with the middles and ran the offense well. She should rise from her number 70 ranking in the class of 2026 after her performance at this tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Briar Woods</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='453965' first='Taylor' last='Hansen']</strong> (left side) - Clemson commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='237667' first='Skyler' last='Riggio']</strong> buries balls from the right side with her powerful lefthanded swing. Once you establish a defense to stop her it opens up the court for [player_tooltip player_id='453965' first='Taylor' last='Hansen']. At 5'8" the junior gets overlooked because of her size, but do not underestimate her strength. She stands out as an important piece in this offense with her hard spikes. The Falcons would not be racing out to a 12-1 start without her contributions. She just missed making my all tournament team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Western Albemarle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464583' first='Natalie' last='Rocco'] </strong>(Middle) - The Liberty commit libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='223897' first='Amelia' last='Tomlinson']</strong> ranks number 31 in our class of 2024. The player who surprised from the Warriors roster the most was their 6'0" middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='464583' first='Natalie' last='Rocco'].</strong> She blocked well, moving side to side to cover both pins. Her tempo and transition for running quicks in the middle allowed her to contribute to the offense. Last year as a junior Natalie proved a key piece to the Warriors first ever class 4 regional championship. They eventually lost to Dominion in five in the states, but it remains an achievement the team can build on. Her contributions from last year earned her a spot on the All Central Virginia first team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Stone Bridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233013' first='Gabriella' last='Flamish']</strong> (right side) - The Bulldogs rely on Navy commit left side <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180289' first='Lilah' last='Stevens']</strong> to spark this offense. She appears to fly when she jumps to spike a ball. At 5'9" her height is small, but her jump allows her to reach 10 feet. For Metro she plays right side and does not get an opportunity to play back row. When you watch her with the Bulldogs she shows off an excellent platform for passing and scrambles well on defense. However, Lilah is a known commodity. The player who stood out the most was <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233013' first='Gabriella' last='Flamish']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gabby plays the game with intensity. The Bulldogs run a 5/1 so the 6'2" right side covers all six rotations, playing the back row well. Gabby helped Stone Bridge to a class 5 State championship in 2021 her sophomore season. She expects a lot from the team and a lot from herself. Last year she earned a spot on the Potomac District second team. Her veteran presence in the Bulldogs lineup remains critical for them to make a go at another state championship bid this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chesapeake Chirps: James Woods and Millbrook had the first of two battles for supremacy in the Northwestern District. The Colonels won in five with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='181302' first='Kennedy' last='Spaid']</strong> leading the charge with 17 kills. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='180282' first='Paige' last='Ahakuelo']</strong> contributed seven aces....Flint Hill continues to dominate the Independent School League. They swept Georgetown Day, who was considered their main opponent to capture the crown. <strong> [player_tooltip player_id='180283' first='Natalie' last='Nguyen']</strong> ran a 5/1 and dished out 34 assists. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='233010' first='Mickhaila' last='Murray']</strong> drove 15 of them to the floor to lead the team in kills...Two more frosh to keep an eye on. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='438068' first='Ayla' last='Sayd']</strong>, the younger sister of Samia stands opposite her to occupy the second left side for Marshall. She appears to be about an inch taller than her sister, who is listed at 6'0". For West Potomac <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='469197' first='Olivia' last='Garey'] </strong>plays right side. She plays the game with enthusiasm, a rare treat for a frosh to show on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->