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VolleyballMag.com DREAM TEAM for June 8:
S: Campbell Flynn, 6-2 freshman, Legacy 15-1 Adidas (MI) – Flynn led Legacy to the 15 Open title at the JVA Summerfest in Columbus. Blessed with the innate ability to take over matches, Flynn finished the weekend with 180 assists. She also topped her No. 8 national squad in aces and blocks and was third in kills. “She is absolutely amazing to watch!!” exclaimed club director Jennifer Cottrill.
RS: Eva Dittmar, 6-1 Sophomore, Elite 16 Black (OH) – A former middle now playing on the right side, Dittmar has been playing at her highest level this past month. Over the weekend at JVA Summerfest, she hit over .500 with only two errors in five matches. “She touches 10-1 and hits the ball very hard,” noted director Randy Cline. “Besides being very athletic and jumping so high, she hits well cross-court and down the line, and has an arsenal of shots in her tool box.”
OH: Harper Murray, 6-1 Junior, Legacy 17-1 Adidas (MI) – Murray showed why she is one of the top five juniors in the nation in helping Legacy capture the 17 Open title at JVA Summerfest. She recorded 115 kills (hitting .375) over 16 sets and passed serve at a 2.24 average. Legacy coach Jennifer Cottrill described Murray as “an absolute BEAST” in Columbus. “No one had an answer for her,” Cottrill add. “She was unstoppable.”
OH: Emmi Sellman, 6-4 sophomore, Metro 16 Travel (D.C.) – Sellman averaged 4.6 kills per set (72 kills; hitting .300) and passed 2.1 in leading Metro to the 16 Open title at Summerfest in Columbus. Metro coach Sam Danai said that this past weekend confirmed his belief that Sellman is the best pin he’s worked with in his 20 years in club volleyball.
OH: Cari Spears, 6-3 Freshman, Metro 16 Travel (D.C.) – Spears averaged five kills per set (hitting .380) and passed 2.13 in leading Metro to the 16 Open title at Summerfest in Columbus. Metro coach Sam Danai said that Spears’ ceiling is higher than any pin he’s worked with in the past two decades.
MB: Lilly Hamburg, 6-0 Sophomore, NKYVC 16 Tsunami (KY) – Hamburg brought energy and passion to the 16 Nami squad this weekend at Summerfest. “Lilly played a major part in hyping the team and leading by example with key blocks and kills,” noted coach Tyler Collins. Hamburg had the match clinching block to help NKYVC get past Elevation 16 Butcher, 16-14 in the third, in a quarterfinal tilt. The Kentucky squad finished second in the event in 16 Open.
MB: Paola Aviles-Morales, 5-11 Sophomore, JJVA 15 Teal (FL) — Aviles-Morales averaged 2.8 kills and 1.0 blocks per set this weekend at the A5 Southern Exposure tourney. Recruiting coordinator CJ Sherman said that the sophomore “pushed herself to higher ground this weekend.” “She had some blistering kills versus some of the top teams in the tourney,” Sherman added. “Paola is a teammate who encourages, pushes, leads and delivers for her JJVA 15 Teal team. Her improvement this season has been crucial to the development of the 15 Teal team!”
Libero: Olivia Hasbrook, 5-10 Sophomore, Rockwood Thunder 16 Elite (MO) — Hasbrook led her team to a third place finish at the JVA Summerfest. As teams try to avoid her in serve receive, she continues to pass a larger portion of the court. She continues to lead the team in digs and serve receive efficiency. Throughout the weekend she denied some of the best attackers with highlight reel digs.
Also considered (by position, in order of consideration):
S: Avery Palmateer, 5-9 Junior, Far Out 16 Black (MI) — Palmateer put together her best weekend yet at JVA Summerfest, coach Val Lurye said. “She put up a total of 84 assists, allowing our attackers to hit .342 off her, along with an assist percentage of 44%. Avery has spent the majority of her training this season on understanding when to set attackers, how to create gaps, see the block, and it paid off for her this weekend. Our attackers got lots of 1-on-1s and she found our hot hands when things got tight.” Palmateer was especially effective against the eventual champs from Metro in FaR Out’s opening match. “She gave us an opportunity to win, as we found ourselves up in Set 3 9-7,” Lurye said. “We are going into AAU Nationals playing our very best volleyball of the season.”
S: Ryan Murphy, 6-1 Freshman, JJVA 14 Teal (FL) – Murphy ran a 5-1 offense for 14 Teal this weekend at the Southern Exposure A5 tourney in Georgia, which placed fifth. Murphy plays down a year because she is young, and was poised, strong, confident and a leader for her team with her usual setter teammate sidelined by injury.
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OH: Elana Erickson, 5-10 Sophomore, FaR Out 16 Black (MI) – Steady all season long, Erickson was put to the test this past weekend at JVA Summerfest. “We played what I believe to be the best 16s teams we’ve seen all season,” said coach Val Lurye. “No surprise to anyone, Elana was cool and unbothered by the towering kids she saw across the net, and took her game to another level we have not seen yet.” Erickson served with pace and precision, passed a 2.22 while seeing twice the serves of anyone else and recorded 33 kills across 11 sets.
OH: Abbey Kate Daugherty, 5-11 Junior, JJVA 17 Teal (FL) – Daugherty had a tremendous weekend at the A5 Southern Exposure Tourney in Roswell. She hit .290 with 35 kills (3.5 per set). Daugherty also had four aces and served at a 91 percent clip, while also contributing 31 digs and passing a 2.22. JJVA finished 4-1 for the event.
OH: Lilly Gillespie, 5-8 Sophomore, NKYVC 16 Tsunami (KY) – Gillespie helped 16 Nami place second in 16 Open at JVA Summerfest by being an asset in all six rotations. “Don’t let Lilly’s height fool you,” coach Tyler Collins warned. “She is an extremely talented front row hitter who can read the floor and find a way to score even with the best blockers in her way.”
OH: Amelia Sullivan, 5-11 Freshman, JJVA 15 Teal (FL) – Sullivan stood out in six rotations as her team won the Bronze division at the A5 Southern Exposure Tournament last weekend. The attacker, who plays a mean violin on the side, hit .244 with 29 kills and passed a solid 2.0. She also dug up 22 balls.
OH: Avery Weslow, 5-10 Sophomore, FaR Out 16 Black (MI) – Weslow is a versatile talent who can hit on either pin and defend from left, right or middle back. “Avery’s strongest contribution to this team is her ability to do whatever is asked of her,” said coach Val Lurye. Weslow passed a 2.21 while hitting .236 at Summerfest in Columbus this past weekend. “What is most impressive about her attacking is most of these swings are out of system,” Lurye said. “Her ability to score for us when things are ugly is one of her biggest strengths.”
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Libero: Sarah “Tiger” Seabrooke, 5-10 Junior, JJVA 17 Teal (FL) – “Tiger” impressed over the weekend at the A5 Southern Exposure Tournament. She passed a season-high 2.55, dug up 30 balls, served effectively and even had seven assists to help JJVA go 4-1 for the event and stay in Gold.
Libero: Carley Piercefield, 5-6 Sophomore, FaR Out 16 Black (MI) — Piercefield’s focus on perfecting her touch in serve receive paid dividends. This past weekend at JVA Summerfest, playing five teams that all served tough, Piercefield passed a 2.17, primarily splitting the court with only one other player. “In the last couple of tournaments, we’ve moved Carley to middle back, where she can have a little bit more free range to play what she is seeing from attackers,” coach Val Lurye said. Piercefield put up 40 digs in Columbus. “She is a fun defender to watch, and she is giving our team chances to stay in matches due to her play,” Lurye added.
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Every Wednesday during the club season, VolleyballMag.com recognizes a Dream Team of eight girls volleyball players (15s to 18s age groups) who were standouts the weekend before.
The team will consist of the following:
Setter or S/RS
Setter, S/RS or RS
OH
OH
MB
MB
Libero
DS
We include our eight-player Dream Team, as well as others we considered, based exclusively upon nominations received. (Are you a coach/director who may want to nominate someone next week or in future weeks? Just complete this handy-dandy form: https://volleyballmag.wufoo.com/forms/r7ybeg30hedscp/)
Note to coaches and directors: while there is no science to how we choose members of our Dream Team, performing on bigger stages will give players an edge, as will nomination forms that describe with specificity how well a player performed the previous weekend.
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Parents: If you’re not seeing your club represented ask your director/coaches to consider nominating deserving candidates.
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