Tour of Texas #2: 17 Invitational – Right Sides
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One of the most traditional and competitive club volleyball tournaments in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas had its second stop of the season earlier this month in Houston, bringing the top talent of the region to H-Town…
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Continue ReadingOne of the most traditional and competitive club volleyball tournaments in the Lone Star State, the Tour of Texas had its second stop of the season earlier this month in Houston, bringing the top talent of the region to H-Town for two days of action.
It was a great opportunity to see the elite of the sport in Texas battling it out and Prep Dig was at the FAST Complex on Saturday, where we got to watch all 20 teams that competed in the 17 Invitational division in action. There was a serious level of talent in this group and we’ll now feature the prospects that stood out during the day.
These right side hitters were very productive for their teams:
Dallas Skyline 17 Royal finished second in the event with five wins and two losses and had arguably the best right side hitter duo in the entire field with Salfiti and Chichi Nnaji Chichi Nnaji 6’4″ | RS Ursuline Academy | 2025 State TX . A lefty, Salfiti was extremely effective for them, swinging with power and precision on the right and being one of the team’s main scoring options. Her decision-making was very good as she always took a good look across the net before unleashing it and she displayed great variation with her shots. Salfiti was also solid with her blocking, using her long arms well and always being well-balanced before going up to make stops.
Barr helped her team Excel 17 National Red finish in third place with five wins and just one loss. A very physical player, she was very intense for them on the right, getting off the floor and swinging with incredible power every time she was set on the right. Although Barr’s offense was very successful because of her heavy arm, she also displayed the ability to hit sharp angles and made very few mistakes at the net. Her big and technical blocking was a challenge for opposing pin hitters who met her at the net.
Potter was huge for fifth-placed Drive Nation 17 – Red, which had a campaign of four wins and just one upset in Houston. A hitter that combines impressive technical and physical tools, she was always a reliable option for the team on the right and maintained her good rhythm throughout the day. Potter was always very precise with her swings and because of her excellent shot selection, sided out at a very good rate, keeping her errors very low. She was also reading the game well at the net and was consistently placing herself in good spots to make strong plays with her blocking.
Highlights
Originally a middle, Morris shone on the right playing for the TAV 17 Black Jon team that ranked fifth with two wins and three losses. Very tall and physical, she made contact with the ball at a very high point and hit with incredible power, making it difficult for blockers and defenders to stop her. Morris was very efficient when swinging from the left and the right and also set quite often when at the backcourt, keeping her productivity level elevated. She also displayed a very complete game, making an impact with her blocking and contributing to the team’s serve-receive system on some rotations.
The top right side hitter in Texas in her age group according to our Class of 2025 Prep Dig State Rankings, Gaido was with Austin Skyline 17 Royal as they ranked ninth with three wins and three losses. A very tall and skilled player, she was unstoppable when in system, using her quick right arm to beat blockers while making contact with the ball at a very high point. Gaido displayed good versatility, scoring at a high level from the right and the left. Her big blocking was also an important defensive weapon for the team, forcing opposing hitters to hit around her.
Steffe’s team Madfrog 17’s N Green got two wins and four losses, ranking 11th in the Houston stop. A versatile player, who can be used on the right and the left, she made excellent decisions at the net, seeing the block well and finding smart ways to go around it. Although a powerful hitter, Steffe was even better with her precision, keeping her swings out of reach for blockers and defenders. The right side hitter handled pressure extremely well, playing very well in big moments, and also had some good serving runs.
Highlights
With two wins and three losses, McFadden and her SA Juniors 17 Adidas teammates secured a 15th-place finish in the event. A very physical and powerful player, she was a solid scoring option for the team, hitting on the right side. McFadden was very smart with her decisions up at the net, seeing the block well and making quick moves to hit around it. She also displayed very good variation with her offense, hitting in different directions.