Anela was the libero at Pinnacle this season and racked up over 485 digs which is good for #6 in 6A, along with chipping in 45 aces as well. She also passed 501 balls in serve receive and had an error rate of only 6%. She was also named her region defensive player of the year as well, an honor that was well earned. 

Anela is an athletic libero with the range (she is a taller libero) and competitiveness to impact the game at the collegiate level. She moves well laterally, covers a large portion of the court both in defense and serve receive. Her movement allows her to get to balls a lot of girls are unable to get. Anela also shows quick reactions on both hard-driven balls and tips as she is relentless in her pursuit of getting every dig. She brings a confident presence that lifts the defensive unit throughout all her matches. She also always competes at a high level and shows consistent effort regardless of score or situation. Her technique is also great to watch. She seems to make everything look easy with her great form that she has. Her serve-receive platform is consistent, allowing her to handle pace while keeping the offense in rhythm. 

Anela is a pleasure to watch, and we can’t wait to see how she plays this club season and next year for AZ. She is currently uncommitted but we expect that to change by the end of club season as her talent is very high and we know a school is going to want this top libero to play for them.

“Being invited to the Phenom Program is both motivating and humbling. The invitation confirms that my hard work is being recognized while showing me there is a higher standard required to compete at the college level.”

She pointed to serve receive and early reads as areas where her game consistently impacted others. “Being able to create strong, early angles on serve receive has created great opportunities for my hitters. I understand offensive and defensive systems, anticipate plays, and position myself early rather than reacting late.”

Drawing from both her playing and coaching experience, Anela reflected on long-term growth. “I’ve learned to fall in love with the process, not just the outcome. Growth comes from consistency, discipline, and doing the small things well every day.”

~ Michelle Bamford @Coachable247

Anela was a top level libero at the tourney this weekend as she demonstrated her defense by getting so many touches and getting Pinnacle in system throughout the tournament.

Averaging over 5.4 digs a set, she was a force to be reckoned with by her ability to anticipate and react so well to opposing teams and their offense attacks. She was always reading the hitters and getting her feet to the ball to create a solid platform that made it easy to pass to the setter to keep her team in system most of the weekend. Her footwork was second to none as she was able to effectively and quickly move from defense to overage back to defense and always seemed to pick up the tip or dump when it happened.

In serve and serve receive she did great with her ability to keep teams out of system with aggressive serves and would place them super effectively when needed short or to the corners. Her serve receive was excellent as she was able to get a solid pass off whether it was right at her or if she needed to take the seam ball. She basically was able to take up half the court with her serve receive which is what all coaches want out of their libero.

It is always hard to find liberos that stand out however Anela was an easy choice with her exceptional play this weekend. We look forward to seeing this 2027 libero play more the rest of the season!

Anela is making a major impact this season for Pinnacle. Currently ranked #9 in 6A for digs, she’s become a key force in the Pioneers’ backcourt. With 39 assists to her name, she’s not only locking down the defense but also helping drive the offense out of system.

One of the most impressive aspects of Anela’s game is her ability to be exactly where she needs to be—whether it’s covering hitters, picking up block touches, or extending rallies with smart, controlled digs. She consistently gives her hitters second and third chances, keeping plays alive that would otherwise be over.

In a huge four-set upset over Horizon, Anela’s defensive presence was undeniable. She tallied 20 digs in the match, leaving everything on the floor and setting the tone for the team’s victory. Averaging 11 digs per match, she’s steadily closing in on the 1,000 career digs milestone.

We’ve only begun to see what this defensive powerhouse is capable of.