Six Impactful Players at Regionals 15s

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Day 1 of regionals is in the books and we saw a lot of great action today. We started with 26 teams in the bid division and now we are down to 14 in the gold bracket. We didn't see too many upsets as most of the pools went chalk. Bracket play will begin at 8 AM tomorrow with the championship scheduled for 2:30 PM. Let's take a look at six players that made an impact for their team today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='937265' first='Marley' last='Dokes']- Middle Blocker for UPVBC 15 Elite. What a playmaker Marley is. She is tall, athletic, and a threat in the front row. She has a tremendous amount of power in her swing. She has a very high ceiling and this year she took some massive steps towards it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='902260' first='Melinda' last='Parham']- Outside Hitter for [program_tooltip program_id='432025' first='OK' last='Charge'] 15 National. As predicted this team smoothly made their way through pool play today. The pin play for this team is gonna be tough to stop. Melinda has a great approach and isn't scared to attack the ball even in difficult situations. She'll be contributing for Bishop McGuinness heavily in the very near future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Praiselyn Powell- Middle Blocker for Peak 15-2. I believe this team was having some fun with their lineups, but nevertheless, you could see the potential that Praiselyn has. I got to see her get a hold of a couple balls both from the middle and outside position. She is definitely somebody who demands a double block from opposing defenses. This team has a first round bye and is in position to make a run at the championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='966547' first='Kinlei' last='Willis']- Outside Hitter for [program_tooltip program_id='776295' first='Tulsa' last='Power'] 15-1. With a couple of their players out, Kinlei stepped up big for her team. In four of the six sets they played today, they kept their opponents to less than eight points. She had plenty of practice being a stand out player for Rejoice this past high school season. With her high IQ and great ball control she was able to score points in bunches. This team came in as the overall one seed and will have a tough route to the championship, but they are extremely capable of doing it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='931567' first='Alice' last='Michaels']- Setter for Elevate 15.1. Alice and her team were also down a couple players today. She also did a phenomenal job of stepping up when her team needed it most. Her ability to track down just about every pass, get her hands on it, and deliver a very hittable ball was top-notch. Her leadership on the court is undeniable, especially when you see her physical effort on every play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='902266' first='Alana' last='Hardeman']- Libero for Peak 15-2. Alana was a cornerstone of her team‘s offense. This team got a lot of kills today and it started with good solid passing from the back row. We got to see her at our December showcase and since she has furthered her skill set. She is reading the ball quicker, being more efficient with her movements and has become a more reliable passer in serve receive. She has a bright future in front of her!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Good luck to all the teams who are still I have a chance at snagging a bid to nationals. Please don't forget to have your teammates create their free profile within our database. We will be updating our 2029 and 2030 rankings in the next couple weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->