Prospect Report: The Northern Lights 9 from Minneapolis

The Northern Lights 9 from Minneapolis

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Jaelyn Jordan - Setter - MAVS 16 Elite

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Jordan is a setter who elevates her team by making smart decisions and spreading the ball around. Her solid technique allows her to run a fast offense without sacrificing location, and she makes sure to get the hot hand going while also feeding the middle, especially in transition. Her leadership was a major component of MAVS’ wins on Sunday, including a narrow three-set victory over Mizuno Northern Lights 16-1.

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Olivia Maciel - Outside - MAVS 16 Elite

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Over multiple matches, Maciel proved herself an extremely dominant player. Whenever the team was in a bind or desperate for a sideout, it was Maciel who would get the ball, and she put it away for a kill more times than not. It’s no surprise that she got the match-winning kill against Mizuno Northern Lights 16-1, solidifying a nailbiter of a win in the tiebreaker 15-13.

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Hannah Griffin - Outside - Austin Juniors 16 Adidas

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It was a good showing for AJV 16 Adidas, as they came in second overall. Griffin was a big part of that; she’s the type of outside hitter who can absolutely take over a match, which is exactly what she did in her team’s three-set win over Houston Skyline 16 Royal on Sunday. She was scoring in the front row, back row, and with her block, and demonstrated a keen sense of when to play it safe and when to take the big swing.

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Brielle Gunderson - Middle - Mizuno Northern Lights 16-1

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Gunderson was a big part of her team’s win over MAVS 16 Elite on Sunday. With how hard she works in transition, she’s the type of middle that setters love. Even when the set placement wasn’t ideal, she was able to take smart shots in order to win her team the point. Blocking-wise, she reads the opposing offense well, putting up a strong wall at the net or managing to get touches on tough swings to help her team fight in transition. 

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Olivia Sporleder - Middle - OTVA 16 O Semei

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What a great weekend it was for Sporleder, who was absolutely on fire across multiple matches. She was a reliable outlet whenever her team needed a first-ball sideout, and showed a lot of promise in her all-around game thanks to smart blocking and effective serving.

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Ava Lazar - Outside - OTVA 16 O Semei

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Another player from OTVA who stood out was Lazar, her team’s leading scorer for good reason. She has a big arm and takes equally big swings, which propelled her team to a Day 1 victory over eventual fourth-place finishers Milwaukee Sting 16. 

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Skylar Ignash - Outside/Opposite - Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno 

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Ignash was putting in some serious work in her team’s win over OTVA 16 O Semei. She’s not just a hitter who slams the ball as hard as she can every time, but one who reads the opposing defense extremely well. This resulted in her successfully tipping over the opposing block several times before forcing the other team to adjust. And of course, she’s got plenty of fiery swings in her arsenal as well, which helped her put away the final two balls in that match.

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Ava Kiernan - Setter - Michigan Elite 16 Mizuno

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Kiernan is a setter who’s got it all. At 6’2”, she brings plenty of physicality at the net, but it’s her precise setting and smart decision-making that really stood out. She balanced the offense nicely, making sure to get Ignash plenty of looks while also rewarding her middles for their readiness in transition.

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Tegan Loechler - Setter/Opposite - Milwaukee Sting 16 Gold

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Loechler is a much-talked-about prospect (as a Setter bouncing between a Gold and Silver Level prospect), and anyone watching her at Northern Lights can understand why. She’s the type of opposite that, when things get sticky for her team, they don’t even pretend they’re going to set anyone other than her—and even though everyone on the other side of the court knows she’s about to get the ball, it rarely does anything to slow her down. 

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