With the family hovered around the screen, San Mateo’s Alexa Dreyer kept clicking and clicking with the page set to U.S. Youth Volleyball website as she awaited word on whether her dream would come true.

And from one click to another, it was there: Alexa Dreyer (MB, San Mateo, Calif., 2015, Vision Volleyball Club/Northern California).

“I was really excited,” Dreyer said, “because it’s a really high level of play. It’s just an amazing opportunity. It’s going to be awesome.”

Dreyer, who lives in San Mateo but commutes to Archbishop Mitty is San Jose for high school, will represent the Stars and Stripes at the 2012 European Global Challenge in Croatia. The challenge takes place July 12 through 23.

This will be Dreyer’s first trip outside of the U.S. to play volleyball, and the 6-4 middle blocker could not be more excited.

“[I’ve worked for this] my whole life,” Dreyer said. “I started playing volleyball when I was in fifth grade and I made the Select team last year, but this year is a much bigger deal because it’s the youth team and next year will be the World’s team — hopefully I’ll make that.”

Dreyer definitely has the physical tools to achieve big things in volleyball. At only 14, she’s an intimidating presence for the Monarchs’ front court. Dreyer put up solid numbers as part of a varsity team. Her 46.2 percent hit percentage was tops on the top as well as her 57.9 kill percentage. Her 84 kills was tops for a freshman on the varsity.

Dreyer caught the eye of U.S. coaches during a tryout in Reno and after a some visits from the national coaches as she played at Mitty, her red, white and blue dreams came true in late May.

“I’ve been lifting weights, practicing with my team and I’ve been practicing with my high school coach to get stronger, jump higher,” Dreyer said of her current preparation.

The U.S. team will play approximately 10 matches during its time in Europe. The U.S. will take on the Italian Youth National Team three times before traveling to Pula, Croatia, to play in the eighth annual European Global Challenge.

In last year’s event, the A2 volleyball team won the gold medal over the Czech Republic. USA Volleyball is sending its fourth team in eight years to the European Global Challenge.

Other teams in attendance include: Russian Junior National Team, Slovenian Junior National Team, Czech Republic Junior and Youth National Teams, and club teams from Croatia, Romania, Italy, Montenegro, and potentially Serbia and Russia.

“I hope I’ll play a lot,” Dreyer said. “I know the other two middles are very good and I’m going to be fighting constantly to play. But I know it’s going to push me to the next level so hopefully I’ll get a lot of playing time.

“It’s definitely going to be intimidating because there so many great players but I feel like I’ve work really hard where I am. I feel like I can hang with them and I’m prepared.”