2019 Preview: Middles, Outsides, Opposites
This is the second of a two-part series previewing the 2019 Bryant University volleyball team. For the BryantBulldogs.com look at the setters, liberos and defensive specialists, click HERE.
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Brianna Bruny (Biscayne Park, Fla.) enters her final year in Black & Gold looking to continue a tradition to Smithfield.
The senior class of Bruny, Sydney Gorski (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) and Nikki Kim (River Edge, N.J.) has been in uniform for 62 wins over their first three seasons at Bryant – the most by a Bulldog Division I class through its first three years.
With Bryant's winningest D1 class graduating after the program's first NEC title in 2018, Bruny, the seniors and the Bulldogs are up to the challenge of continuing to raise the bar this fal.
"It was an unforgettable experience that proved hard work and trusting each other could get the job done," said Bruny. "We have a huge target on our back, but we know what it takes to win and we're all in."
Bruny is the most experienced in a group of middle blockers for 24th-year head coach Theresa Garlacy, having appeared in 53 matches over her first three seasons. The senior from Florida recorded a .272 hitting percentage as a sophomore and is Bryant's returning leader in career total blocks (103).
Sophomore Haley O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) made an impact in her first year in Black & Gold, appearing in 32 of 35 matches and improving as the year went on, recording 0.77 blocks per set in October and 0.86 per set in November.
Two freshmen join Bruny and O'Brien, as Maggie Ryan (Bethesda, Md.) and Alysa Wright (Wayne, Pa.) help give Garlacy four options to work with in the middle. Ryan was a two-time All-WCAC honorable mention selection, while Wright was a two-time All-Chestmont League honoree.
"It's a position where we have some depth," said Garlacy. "It will be exciting to try a variety of options throughout the season."
Bryant returns four players among its opposites, led by sophomore Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), who was an All-NEC selection in 2018 with a D1 single-season program record of 409 kills.
Junior Mackenzie Wild (Rochester, Mich.), who played in 23 matches a year ago, returns for the Black & Gold, as does sophomore Jenna Knight (Scottsdale, Ariz.), who appeared in 19. Gorski is back in action after an injury-shortened junior campaign and will have two years of eligibility remaining.
"We should see a well-formed block from this group and a variety of attack styles," said Garlacy.
A young trio makes up Bryant's outside hitters, with sophomore Maya Popernik (Chicago, Ill.) the lone returner among the group. Popernik appeared in 26 sets in 2018, with the most notable being the fourth set of Bryant's NEC Semifinal victory, coming up with a kill and a block during a 5-0 run to force a fifth set that the Bulldogs would win before going on the next day to capture the conference title.
A pair of freshmen enter the mix with Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) and Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.) arriving in Smithfield. James was a first team Under Armour All-American and Massachusetts Player of the Year as a senior, while McGovern was first team Newsday All-Long Island.
"It's a group of big jumpers who love to hit a fast tempo to the pins and will be aggressive in the back row as well," said Garlacy.
Bryant begins its 2019 season Friday at 4 p.m. when the Bulldogs face San Diego State in a tournament hosted by FGCU in Fort Myers, Florida. The Bulldogs' home opener will be Friday, Sept. 6, when Bryant hosts North Dakota in its first match of the Hampton Inn-vitational.
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