Union 18 Purple, UA Black Overviews

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Union Volleyball Club has once again put together some solid senior 18-and-Under squads that are looking to finish their careers on strong notes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Purple</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defending 8th Region champion North Oldham has four players on this team in setter [player_tooltip player_id='477099' first='Lucy' last='Proud'], defensive specialists Floyd Campbell, Hannah Morrison and outside/right side hitter Josie Scales. Two others from the 29th District rivals join them in Oldham County setter Emma Bower and South Oldham setter [player_tooltip player_id='159380' first='Harper' last='Ash'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mercy senior [player_tooltip player_id='745189' first='Nora' last='Smith'] starts things off at defensive specialist. The setters can then go to Western Hills 6-foot-even [player_tooltip player_id='477222' first='Rylan' last='Lambert'], North Hardin's Maya Jackson and Lynlee Braun from Floyd Central (Indiana) on the outside. Silver Creek's [player_tooltip player_id='192094' first='Kessa' last='Kemmer'] and Lanesville's Addi Byrum give the team an option on the outside/opposite slots and the 5-11 [player_tooltip player_id='192095' first='Avery' last='Kerr'] from the Christian Academy of Indiana gives the team size in the middle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team's head coach is Rebecca Fernandez. The team plays in the President's Day Bash in Bowling Green on Saturday and Sunday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UA Black</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team has nine players. All but Assumption opposite hitter Claire Kuhbander come from southern Indiana. Kuhbander hopes to have a strong club season after battling through an injury-riddled fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='286982' first='Ava' last='Kopf'] from Silver Creek starts things off at the libero/defensive specialist spot with Scottsburg's [player_tooltip player_id='192098' first='Haiden' last='Means'] and Floyd Central's [player_tooltip player_id='152949' first='Carly' last='Fonda'] doing the setting. Charlestown's Ava Benner and Providence's [player_tooltip player_id='219321' first='Brooklyn' last='Borden'] could also play defensive specialist or hit from the outside. [player_tooltip player_id='192099' first='Abby' last='Julius'] gives the team size in the middle and outside at 6-feet even. Trinity Lutheran has two middle hitters in Ava Blomenberg and [player_tooltip player_id='157945' first='Carson' last='Bowling']. Blomenberg will also hit from the outside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ryan Neal is the team's head coach. The team next plays in the Nike President's Day Class in St. Louis on Feb. 15-17.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["477222"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67aa21abf1c0e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Lambert takes sound approaches to the net from the pins and middle, then lets balls rip. She sends them a number of places, especially on the go routes. Lambert has a tough cutter toward the sides. Defenders have a hard time passing a lot of her spikes even when they are in good position. Lambert had 442 kills and 128 digs for Western Hills this past fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["477099"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67aa243170ec4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Proud (pictured) does a great job mixing her sets up to keep blockers guessing at the net. She continuously learns the strengths of the hitters and puts them in position to succeed. She brought depth to North Oldham at the setter spot and will do the same for the 18 Purple squad. Proud had 629 assists, 222 digs and 51 aces, helping the Mustangs go 28-10 and win another 8th Region crown. Proud made the all-region tournament team as a result.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["192095"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67aa29f8a0ac6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kerr mixes in a great blend of hard and soft hits. Kerr will pound it to the back row on one play then tap it short on the next one. She has a number of ways to make mid-air adjustments to put balls past blockers and away from defenders to the ground.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["286982"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67aa29f8a0be9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kopf communicates well on the court. She calls out balls then steps in front of teammates if she feels she can get to the ball sooner. Kopf has shown the ability to move her body in different directions and still square her arms up to balls to make crisp two to three-point passes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Claire Kuhbander","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32564","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Assumption","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Union","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67aa29f8a0cd1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kuhbander brings UA Black a solid presence from the right side as a lefty. She takes great approaches to the net and sends balls flying to different parts of the court. Kuhbander is not afraid to use her right hand to tap balls off blockers and out of bounds. She is also a sound blocker and will do some setting for the club team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note from the Writer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mike Graham has been writing for Prep Dig for one year and has enjoyed getting to know the volleyball scenes in both Kentucky and Ohio. If you liked the story, please copy and paste to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. You may also follow us at @prepdigkentucky or @prepdigoh on Instagram in addition to @PrepDigKy or @PrepDigOH on X. If you feel someone in Kentucky or Ohio needs coverage, please email Mike at pnmikeg@yahoo.com. You may also follow him on X @GMCgrah or Instagram @g.michaelgraham. Subscriptions give you access to exclusive content. 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