Under The Radar Teams In 2A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want a subscription to PrepDig? Use code Kyp30 for a deep discount off of your national subscription!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Halfway through our Under The Radar series, and we're uncovering the levels of hidden volleyball skill throughout the state. We dig even deeper today with a view of three teams turning heads and looking to make a deep run in the 2A playoffs. Here they are, in no particular order, with a few individual performances sprinkled in to give perspective.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Eastern (15-2)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From southern Indiana, the Musketeers are putting together yet another successful season to match their 24-win campaign from a year ago. With such a senior-heavy squad, it's understandable that the leadership is there, both physically and vocally. The offense is led by the one-two punch of <strong>Avery Smith </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='838244' first='Sidney' last='Burton'].</strong> Both bring a physicality to the pin hitting position that causes problems for opposing teams regularly. Combined, they average north of 7 kills per set, while hitting close to .300 collectively. There's more than just offense in Pekin, as libero <strong>Eliza Starrett</strong> is the anchor on both serve receive and floor defense that's much needed for a deep run in October. Finally, look for <strong>Addison Smith</strong> to run the 5-1 better than most in this class. These four seniors are the heart and soul of a resurgence of volleyball that started last season and should continue upward for the foreseeable future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Greencastle (13-1)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aside from the season-opening loss to Danville, the Tiger Cubs have had a nearly flawless season thus far. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='883459' first='Sophia' last='Gooch'],</strong> an undersized and overachieving outside, is a big part of this team's success. Her all-around game, from serve receive to defense to aggression on the attack make her a complete player that's fun to watch. It's hard to believe that she's just a freshman, as her play is much more mature. Senior middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='254826' first='Makenzie' last='Creviston']</strong> is a left-handed middle that gives fits to opposing blockers and defenders <em>because</em> she's a lefty, but also because of her high attack touch and overall volleyball acuity. Senior setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='745224' first='Allie' last='Landry']</strong> looks to keep all of the hitters happy in an offense that's been humming on all cylinders for the better part of a month. Looking forward to the Tiger Cubs' schedule, it is very possible for this year's squad to earn the most wins since the ‘18 team had 24 wins, or maybe surpass that win total altogether.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Seeger (14-1)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In western Indiana, closer to Illinois than Lafayette, the Patriots are quietly putting together an impressive season. Winners of seven straight matches and comfortably leading the Wabash River Conference, the Patriots are led by Butler commit <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='260996' first='Chase' last='Lemming'].</strong> At 6+ kills per set while hitting north of .500 (!!!), Chase is easily the busiest attacker in today's article. How busy? Last night's 5-set thriller over South Newton had her pounding out 36 kills while being a primary passer for the entirety. Most of those kills came via her senior setter, <strong>Emilee Neubauer.</strong> She knows how to keep her team in the win column, and hopes to keep it there come October. Chase can't pass the entire court on her own, so insert junior libero <strong>Aubrey Herbert</strong> into the fray. Paired with Chase, the two can receive most every serve and keep the Patriots in system, making them a tough team to defend. A true test of their season comes tomorrow night when they travel to 2A top five Benton Central.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->