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2010 Volleyball Season Preview
August 27, 2010
Sophomore Brittany Smyder will help the Storm in the middle in 2010.
The Keuka College volleyball team will rely on the return of five of its top six attackers as they try and improve on its 14-19 record and fifth place showing in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) a season ago.
Head coach Dave sweet takes the team over again after coaching the Storm from 2000-05. He will guide a squad of nine returners and seven newcomers that is led by senior outside hitter Raelle Naegely (Colorado Springs, CO/Pine Creek).
Naegely was second on the team last year with 237 kills and 228 digs. She also added 22 serving aces and 43 blocks and was named to the All-NEAC second team. The three-time All-Conference selection is eighth all-time at Keuka in kills with 638.
Fellow senior outside hitters Sarah Fredricks (Milton, Ontario/E.C. Drury) and Morgan Engelbert (Elmira Heights, N.Y./Thomas Edison) also return. Fredricks crushed 104 kills to go with her 46 blocks while Engelbert had 58 kills and 61 digs. Junior Rachael Perry (Nichols, N.Y./Tioga) will also be in the mix for playing time on the outside.
The middle hitter position boasts two talented players in senior Heather Fish (Newfield, N.Y./Newfield) and sophomoreBrittany Smyder (Avon, N.Y./Avon). Fish was a third team All-NEAC pick last season after finishing third on the team with 138 kills and leading the squad with 98 blocks. She is currently fourth all-time at Keuka in blocks with 224. Smyder had a very good rookie campaign, finishing with 84 kills, 30 aces (2nd on team), 42 digs, and 43 blocks.
The Storm return both of its setters that split time last year in senior Katy Geers (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) and sophomore Demi Kauppinen (Portville, N.Y./Portville). Geers ended with 422 assists, 22 aces, and 147 digs while Kauppinen recorded 260 assists, 14 aces, and 111 digs.
Junior libero Hannah Doody (Tully, N.Y./Tully) is back after finishing third on the team in digs (190) and assists (123).
New to the squad this year will be outside hitters Gina Ferruzza (Penfield, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) and Paige Golden (Kent, N.Y./Albion), middle hitter Hayley Strife (Lowville, N.Y./Lowville), libero’s Taylor Smith (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) and Taylor Wade (Hammondsport, N.Y./Hammondsport), defensive specialist Jillian Nolan (Johnson City, N.Y./Maine Endwell), and setter Amie Pizura (Prattsburgh, N.Y./Hammondsport).
Keuka will open its 2010 campaign at the D’Youville College Spartan Invitational Sept. 3-4. The Storm will play its first home match Sept. 14 against Pitt-Bradford while the conference tournament will be played Nov. 5-6.
