That thunder you heard was Elyse hammering away at unsuspecting defenses that underestimated her abilities. The sophomore from West Noble, the #4 team in 3A at the moment, is averaging nearly 6 kills per set this season, while owning the responsibility of being a six-rotation outside. At this pace, she has a chance of passing 1000 career kills by season’s end.

With AAU All-American status in hand and a fifth place finish at AAU nationals, Elyse is an elite-level passer and attacker that is strong and explosive. Already logging 30 kills in two sweeps this early in the season, Miss Mead’s transfer from Empowered to PHP will make that squad immediately better because of the multiple skills she brings to the 900 square feet. As a physical leader on a very young roster, West Noble should be quite good for a few years because of Elyse’s presence.

Elyse was the big surprise for me when I watched this team play. She is a seriously good six rotation outside that can flat out play in both the front and back rows. Mead gets her feet to the ball fast on inside sets so she can swing away and is a really smart hitter who is able to avoid the block. She transitions hard and fast after playing the ball on off blocker defense allowing her to take quality swings almost all the time. In the back row, Elyse is a great server – she got her team back in the match after being down by 5+ by rattling off 3 aces in a row. I can also see why she is listed as a DS/L because she is definitely one of their best passers and seemed the most confident. Lastly, Mead is great at reading and reacting on defense in middle back and can cover a ton of court (great skill for a middle back defender), plus she is always prepared to swing back row. This young lady should no longer be under the radar – she is the real deal.

Compact and explosive, this six-rotation outside can put balls away from anywhere and makes every swing count. Miss Mead is a nice, mature change from the standard freshmen we see here in Indiana—most blindly swing away at inferior competition, while Elyse makes the most of her swings and is smart about where the ball goes and with what level of pace.

A player who just kept catching my eye for doing all the little things right, Elyse had a great showcase. A hitter who truly reads defenses at a high level, Elyse showcased the array of shots she can hit to get the ball on the ground & only has to add power when necessary. She’ll be a frustrating hitter to defend as she continues to develop.