Day 2 in 13 Open from AAUs in Orlando was all business for most of the top seeds as four out of the six went undefeated in matches and sets. The only upset was in Pool 6 where GP 13 Rox upset the No. 1 team in Tribe 13 Elite. Tomorrow will consist of three pools of four, with the top three in each pool advancing to gold bracket. There should be plenty of great volleyball on Day 3. Now, let’s take a look at our Day 2 Show Stoppers, featuring the players that stood out to us the most.
13s
SETTERS
Marissa Jones, A5 MIzuno 13 Karen – Jones dominated the net with her size. She was putting up block after block while throwing down some powerful one-handed dumps.
Addison Traina, GP 13 Rox – In GP’s upset of Tribe, she handled the setting duties efficiently, seemingly making all the right sets at the right time.
Avery Thompson-Stepp, Legacy 13-1 Adidas – Thompson-Stepp has strong hands with high contact. She set a good slide with pace and got results.
Kenna Robinson, Asics Munciana 13 Stingrays – Robinson showed her creativity with a slew of combination plays and confusing the blocks.
Addison Hurley, Adidas KIVA 13 Red – Hurley made all the right sets as she rallied her team back from a 18-14 deficit late in the game for a great win.
LIBERO
Abril Fernandez, GP 13 Rox – Fernandez plays with excitement and energy that is contagious. She also uses her hands for overhead digs with ease.
Dannah Kerberg, Adidas KIVA 13 Red – Kerberg showed great hustle chasing balls down all over. She was also consistent in serve receive.
McKenzie Willkie, A5 Mizuno 13 Karen – Willkie makes good reads on plays, constantly placing herself where the ball ends up.
Lyndsey Robinson, Asics Munciana 12 Stingrays – Robinson delivered key serves when her team was down and needed it. She seems like a coach on the court coming out of a timeout talking and high fiving everyone on the court.
MIDDLES
Emily Poteraj, Adidas KIVA 13 Red – Poteraj’s blocks changed a lot of decisions by hitters. She also had hard hits to both sidelines in her resume.
Sofia Tausinga, Club V 13 AR – Tausinga’s quick hops are a nightmare for anyone’s timing trying to block her.
Brooklyn Sippio, GP 13 Rox – Sippio was very athletic around the net moving sideline to sideline well and also transitioning and hitting tight sets.
Cynthia Ockerman, Legacy 13-1 Adidas – Ockerman has good size for blocking bur her slide attack is her bread and butter that lands many kills for her team.
RIGHT SIDES
Mia Diouf, GP 13 Rox – This lefty set the tone in her team’s upset match. Her big blocks and powerful swings caused confusion and hesitation with the other team.
Kaitlyn Wohl, Adidas KIVA 13 Red – Wohl was very reliable with her attacks, getting key kills but rarely making any mistakes.
Ava Gould, Asics Munciana 13 Stingrays – Gould does a good job of saving balls that are set in trouble and keeping those hits in play.
OUTSIDES
Brooke Codey, Adidas KIVA 13 Red – Codey had five kills in a row late in a match for her team’s comeback victory.
Nafanua Alofipo, Club V 13AR Jess – Alofipo is a solid six-rotation player with great passing skills. Offensively, she is very quick and a definite plus in transition.
Paige Rudolph, Asics Munciana Stingrays – Rudolph has a good arm and hits with pace. Her hits were beating defenders to the spot.
Kaylee Forman, Tribe 13 Elite Hector – Forman had good swings down the line with pace and rarely made any errors.
12s
The underdog to root for on Day 2 was fourth-seed GVA 12 Jayson from Puerto Rico, which beat everyone in its pool and starts tomorrow as the No. 2 overall seed. Friday’s gold pools feature two pools of four. Before that action takes place however, let’s get to our Day 2 Show Stoppers highlighting the players who stood out.
SETTERS
Paislee Terry, Asics Munciana 12 Peppers – Terry did a good job distributing the ball as the defense had a tough time getting in position for either quick sets or sets to the pin.
Amanda Martinez, GVA 12 Jayson – Martinez has a good setter’s mentality. She was hustling for balls and kept good composure when her serve receive was in trouble.
Kaelyn Easton, Legacy 12-1 Adidas – Easton has really good footwork and it showed when passes were tight and she was able to get there and jump set a nice ball.
Chelsea Torrence, A5 Mizuno 12 Jing – Torrance has a good touch and gets the ball to the same spot consistently, whether she is setting conventionally or running and bump setting.
Marlan Rolon, Borinquen 12-1 Juan – Rolon really shined in the back row with her tough serves and sound defense.
LIBERO
Danica Waterman, OT 12 T Kesha – Waterman is a strong server with not only pace but accuracy. She was also able to locate a weak area and keep the pressure on.
Rebekah Tigertail, Tribe 12 Elite Altone – Tigertail is a strong defender who not only will dive and chase down ball, but she also digs overhand confidently.
Arianys Salgado, Borinquen 12-1 Juan – Salgado is a very active defender, will cover all hitters, chase down loose balls, and set all out of system balls without hesitation.
Brooke Neale, Asics Munciana 12 Peppers – Neale is very good in serve receive with her technique and her communication to her teammates. She also plays strong middle back defense.
MIDDLES
Lexi Coleman, Legacy 12-1 Adidas – Coleman is really good in transition. She showed good footwork with a quick arm swing.
Kennedy Davis, A5 Mizuno 12 Jing – Davis has good timing and technique on her blocks, consistently getting touches.
Hailli Winkle, Asics Munciana 12 Peppers – Winkle is strong and dynamic. She gets a lot of touches and will run a slide confusing and surprising her opponents.
Adriana Hernandez, Borinquen 12-1 Juan – Hernandez has a heavy arm with pace that defenders rarely square up.
McKenzie Andrews, Legacy 12-1 Adidas – Andrews is athletic and tall. She will move between hitting 3s and quick attacks, keeping defenses guessing.
RIGHT SIDES
Mikaella Fontanez, Borinquen 12-1 Juan – Fontanez did a good job getting touches and slowing down attackers, giving her defense a good shot at digging and converting for a point.
Isabel Penrose, OT 12 T Kesha – Penrose mixes up her swings constantly between a deep ball and a tip creating hesitation with the defense and resulting in easy kills.
Meredith Abney, A5 Mizuno 12 Jing – Abney has a heavy swing that makes it hard for diggers to pass. She also gets touches on her blocks.
Azaria Ehima, A5 Mizuno 12 Jing – A lefty with a deep line hit, Ehima effectively kept putting pressure on defending the corners. She is also a force at the net.
OUTSIDES
Sofia Rivera, GVA 12 Jayson – Rivera stands out not only for her yellow shoes but her arm swing as well. I would compare it to a whip as its flexible and fast. If the block isn’t good, she will tool it because of her power.
Leilani Lamar, OT 12 T Kesha – Lamar has good ball control in serve receive and loves to play defense. She showcased a good, high swing and was able to hit over the top of blockers with ease.
Itzamar Martinez, Borinquen 12-1 Jayson – Martinez stood out in the back row with her long serving run. Added to that, her solid serve receive and defense makes her setter happy.
Alexandra Conty, GVA 12 Jayson – Conty is somewhat undersized but is a savvy hitter. Despite that, going against the the block she continually creates and finds open spots for kills.
Eva Clevinger, Asics Munciana 12 Peppers – Clevinger has a fundamental swing that allows her to hit not only perfect sets but ones that are also tight, inside, or too far off the net.
11s
The number of teams still in the running for gold decreased from 12 down to six. Half of the remaining six are from Puerto Rico, so expect it to be energetic and loud as is custom for teams from that area. While we watched Day 2 play we noted some standout players. Here are the Show Stoppers who stood out the most.
SETTERS
Raelyn Perdue, OT 11 O Richard – Perdue is a taller setter with nice hands. She can handle the tight passes and puts up a very hittable ball.
Gabriela Marrero, Vaqueras Wes – Marrero has nice fundamentals. The hands are high and strong, the footwork to the ball is efficient.
Ella Franklin, Boiler Jrs 11 Gold – Franklin had endless energy as she never ceased to chase down any loose balls and saving countless points.
Sophie Holt, A5 Mizuno 11 Lori – Being left-handed allows Holt to tip over on tight passes for a point.
LIBERO
Brooklyn Howard, A5 Mizuno 11 Lori – Howard used her quickness to get touches on balls in the middle of the court.
Valeria Rosario, Vaqueras Wes – Rosario’s serve was productive not only with aces but also getting easy free balls back.
Annika Hupy, Boiler Jrs 11 Gold – Hupy was very energetic with her teammates and good in serve receive.
Sadie Hesse, OT 11 O Richard – Hesse was really good in serve receive and had some good serves for aces.
MIDDLES
Madison Middleton, A5 Mizuno 11 Lori – Middleton moves really well, able to get to errant sets and keeping the ball in play.
Kari Knotts, A5 Mizuno 11 Lori – Knotts’ jump and swing are explosive. She absolutely destroyed some quick sets that were not even touched.
Reese Canada, Boiler Jrs 11 Gold – Canada does a good job of controlling her arm swing, placing her shots in corners for points.
Yamila Gonzalez, Borinquen Coqui 11-1 UF Escuela – Gonzalez is very active at the net, putting up a good block then transitioning for a middle set.
RIGHT SIDES
Elle Walker, A5 Mizuno 11 Lori – Walker’s size and athleticism makes it hard for opposing hitters, routinely getting touches and blocks.
Angelique Rosario, Vaqueras Wes – Rosario is active and energetic, digging for tips then transitions with a good approach for a kill.
Karyana Bonilla, Borinquen Coqui 11-1 UF Escuela – Bonilla’s good size makes it easy for her to block and play the net. Her being left-handed makes it harder for her opponents to dig.
Kelysha Dominguez, Vaqueras Wes – Dominguez is good at the net with touches and transitions well to attack.
OUTSIDES
Mattea Capozzi, Boiler Jrs 11 Gold – A back row gem with her strong serve and tons of range in her defense.
Natalia Colon, Vaqueras Wes – Colon has a good swing and contact that results in low errors.
Macurdy Harden, A5 Mizuno 11 Lori – Her team relied on her swing today as she had points at the net and serving in the back row.
Lola Martinez, Borinquen Coqui 11-1 UF Escuela – Martinez’s jump serve is really good and her energy on the court is great to see.
