Desperation was already seeking in for clubs on the cut line in 14 Open on Day 2 of the USAV Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago. With the field being trimmed from 36 to 24, it brought a sense of urgency to the gym and the teams and athletes reacted accordingly. It produced tremendous, high-level action and we made sure to note our favorite players of the day with our Day 2 All Red Hat Team.
The goal is to highlight a daily team consisting of two players from each position – outside, middle, right side, setter and libero who – were our absolute favorite players of the day. Favorite doesn’t mean only a 5-star recruit or a familiar name. These are players who stood out to us for a variety of reasons, from amazing play to great energy or attitude or making key hustle plays. These are daily all-stars who really stood out the most to us for one reason or another.
DAY 2 ALL RED HAT TEAM
Jordan Morrow OH Hou Skyline 14 Royal: Morrow is a workhorse on the left side. She’s high-intensity, high-energy and brings it on the attack. She’s a six-rotation outside who swings from the back row. She’s a strong hitter and was showing off her powerful arm.
Aubrey Martinez OH Lions 14-1: Martinez fits the description of outsides we love. She’s a bit undersized but she is flat-out a baller! She too comes with it on the attack, not backing down from bigger blockers and taking aggressive, hard swings in challenging the defense. She hits with lots of pace too.
Jazzlyn Hepburn MB AP 14 Adidas: With her speed and athleticism, Hepburn is difficult to time when it comes to blocking. She gets off the ground quick and has a lively arm. She was ripping balls down and being an effective point scorer. She also takes swings at different spots across the front row.
Sitoafa Tausinga MB Club V 14 Ren Silver: Tausinga is a rising prospect to be sure. She’s an athletic middle who gets up and hits with plenty of pop. She’s another middle who’ll line up on the outside when she first checks in and take swings from there. She was scoring at a high rate for Club V.
Sophee Peterson S/RS TAV 14 Black: Peterson is one half of the setting/right side duo and she was shining in that role. She’s an effortless setter who can fling the ball pin to pin with accuracy. As a hitter, she has an above-average arm and hits with strength. She also is a strong defender who does well picking off balls coming her way.
Kamryn Mullican S/RS Excel 14 National Red: Mullican has a great on-court demeanor. She plays under control and fills a valuable role as a two-way player. She does a sound job setting and connecting with her hitters. As an attacker, the lefty has a whippy swing and hits with lots of speed.
Kiersten Moore S Forza1 14 One: Moore is slightly undersized but does a great job getting to the ball and using her hands. She’s an athletic setter who moves very well and also has a nice, soft touch with consistent location. She’s one to keep an eye on in the coming years as she continues to improve.
Emmeline Sandgren S Absolute 14 Black: Sandgren was another setter who we totally loved. She’s outgoing on the court and plays with lots of passion. She has a smooth release and does well setting against the flow.
Ali Strange L NKYVC 14-1 Tsunami: Strange is a scrappy libero who plays with lots of energy and grit. She’s quick, so she can cover ground in a hurry and does well covering tips. She’s also steady out of serve receive and was laying out for saves.
Cedra Talaga L Mizuno Long Beach 14 Rockstar: Talaga is a joy to watch play defense. She is super-fiery and defends the back row with all-out hustle and effort. It’s tough to get a ball down on her as she’s capable of making highlight digs.
