Top Performing Sophomore DS/Ls at Dallas Top 250 Expo Vol. 2

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A good defense is vital to the success of any volleyball team. The skills needed to master the defensive specialist position include exceptional ball control, outstanding digging skills, great serve/receive skills, and passing. They need to be on the ball at all times and have great focus and drive to have successful defensive plays. Let's look at these sophomores who stood out at the expo today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='727216' first='Brielle' last='Sims-Cooper']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sims-Cooper is a 5'5" defensive specialist from Rockwall-Heath High School. Sims-Cooper is one determined athlete. She chases no matter the chances of recovery just in case some fluke happens so she can get the ball back into play. It seems to be a core of who she is as a person so it comes from somewhere deep in her. She has a great platform and can serve with power and precision. She has speed and big agility ability. She looks like a top athlete in her field on the court and can hit as well as she can dig. She is a constant on the court that a team does not need to worry about performing, she will just do it. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='727338' first='Olivia' last='Roland']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roland is a 5'5" DS/L from Lake Ridge High School. Roland has a vicious serve and is crazy athletic. She can slide under the ball to pop it up into play again or hit it from the back row with no issues and get a kill for her team. She is all over the court and knows what to do when she gets there. This one has a lot of coverage in her and is useful for digging in the backcourt or under the block. She is a great athlete to have on your team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":727723,"width":"162px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"thumbnail","linkDestination":"none","align":"left"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/IMG_5563.jpeg?w=150&amp;h=150&amp;crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-727723" style="width:162px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='727190' first='Aliya' last='Rayman'], DS/L from Wakeland High School, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='727190' first='Aliya' last='Rayman']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rayman is a 5'7" defensive specialist from Wakeland High School. Rayman is super fast, has a great platform, and has a high volleyball IQ. She is very anticipatory of where the ball is going and is there before it ever reaches its destination. She is a successful defensive player in part because of her complete understanding of the game and what her role is in it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='727356' first='Sara' last='Koch']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Koch is a 5'3" DS/L from Florence High School. Koch is one of the most agile and quick of the defensive players I watched today. She moves like water. She is all twisty-turning and under the ball and then up and moving to cover under the hitters and then back for serve/receive. She was everywhere I wanted to see her when I wanted to see her there. She looked really good at the expo and is an up-and-comer rising star. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":727724,"width":"173px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"thumbnail","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/12/IMG_5564.jpeg?w=150&amp;h=150&amp;crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-727724" style="width:173px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='727234' first='Dakota' last='Huynh'], DS/L from Plano East Senior High School, class of 2027.</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='727234' first='Dakota' last='Huynh']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Huynh is a DS/L from Plano East Senior High School. Huynh is an accomplished defensive player. She has an amazing platform and a high volleyball IQ. She is perfectly balanced and quick on her feet. She is on the move quickly and is an impactful player to her team. She has great serves and is actually a powerful hitter as well as a great defensive player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='727274' first='Kaitlyn' last='Burke']</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burke is a 5'4" defensive specialist from Wakeland High School. This is not my first time covering Burke and every time I see her play I see more development and better skills. She is always ready to go and is super quick with a great platform. She is very consistent in her play and that is exactly what you want in your back row. She is a player that can be counted on to be where you need her to be and that is a great thing to have in a defensive player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->