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3rd-year coach has high expectations for Pitt-Greensburg women's volleyball team

Chuck Curti
| Monday, August 26, 2024 10:50 a.m.
Courtesy of Pitt-Greensburg Athletics
The Pitt-Greensburg women’s volleyball team hopes to do a lot more celebrating after winning only six of its 27 matches last season. The Bobcats went 3-6 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

Coaches generally are hesitant to heap too much praise on their teams. Preseason, in season, postseason, doesn’t matter. Most coaches would prefer not to inflate their players’ collective ego.

That’s why Kevin Conroy’s assessment of his women’s volleyball team at Pitt-Greensburg is eyebrow-raising. Especially considering that, over his first two seasons, the Bobcats won only nine total matches.

But when asked about the prospects for Year 3, Conroy doesn’t hold back his enthusiasm.

“We are going to be very good this year,” he said. “I have higher expectations, so we’re going to work harder than ever before to meet those expectations. So we’ll see what we can do.”

Part of the reason for Conroy’s optimism is the return of outside hitter Madison Friess. The 5-foot-10 sophomore from Deer Lakes had about as good a freshman season as a coach could want: She was named third-team All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference after leading the Bobcats in points (286), points per set (3.40), kills (225), kills per set (2.68) and total aces (38).

She also was an effective six-rotation player, contributing 2.98 digs per set. Against Carlow last October, Friess became the first player in program history to record at least 20 kills and 20 digs in a match (26 kills, 27 digs). She had two other matches of at least 20 digs and reached double-digit kills in seven other matches.

Against Pitt-Bradford, she had six aces.

Besides her statistical contributions, Friess impressed Conroy as a natural leader, and, immediately after the conclusion of the 2023 season, he named her a captain.

“My expectations were pretty high for her, and she delivered for sure,” Conroy said. “Off the court, the leadership and character stuff that I really didn’t get a chance to know previously, she just blew my mind in those areas.

“On the court, off the court, she’s the total package. … She will lead us as far as we can go.”

That said, Friess will be getting plenty of attention from the opposition this season. Still, Conroy plans on getting the ball to her as much as possible, and that, he said, will be made possible by a stronger supporting cast.

And, like Friess was last season, freshmen will be counted on to play big roles for the Bobcats. Conroy has three coming in for whom he has set a high bar: Haven King, an outside hitter from Waynesboro, Pa., who, like Friess, can play all six rotations; and right-side hitters Ashlynn Branan from Indiana, Pa., and Carrie Linkhauer from Lititz, Pa.

“The beauty of it for me this year is (Friess) is not our only option,” Conroy said. “We were kind of a one-trick pony team last year. This year, my freshman class coming in is phenomenal. We have lots of options, lots of weapons.

“If they key on (Friess), somebody else will light them up. … We’re going to spread the wealth, feed the hot hand.”

Added Friess: “We have a lot of talent coming in. We have a lot of talented players who are very motivated to get to the next level.”

Conroy is equally excited for his crop of returning players, all of whom got plenty of experience during last season’s 6-21 (3-6 AMCC) campaign. Junior Grace Bradley will assume the role of No. 1 setter after averaging 1.51 assists per set (third on the team) last season.

Outside hitter Megan Cassaday also retursn. Cassaday, a sophomore, averaged 1.19 kills and 2.72 digs per set.

The middle of the net will be patrolled by sophomore Mia Stohon (16 total blocks last season) and senior Abby Miller (24 total blocks), a Greensburg Salem alumnae. The defense will be anchored by seniors Alanna Meloy (Derry), who led the team with 3.75 digs per set, and Jadyn Zemba (2.88 digs per set), who hails from Alaska.

“I’m pretty confident that we are going to continue to improve,” Miller said. “We have a great roster of girls that just came in.”

Miller has seen the program go through its share of struggles.

Last season’s six victories, though a modest total, were one more than she had been part of the previous two seasons combined.

Improved talent, she said, should make a more confident group, and that confidence will help them get over the top in matches they might have lost in the past.

“I definitely think sometimes we have trouble getting through that last set or the last couple of points,” Miller said. “I do think once we started getting ahead, we started getting a little bit comfortable, and I just want to make sure we stay on our toes so, that way, we don’t get too comfortable and we can keep pushing forward.”

UPG opens its season Aug. 30 at the Saint Vincent Bearcat Challenge, where it will face the hosts as well as perennial Presidents’ Athletic Conference title contender Bethany, Rochester Institute of Technology and Westminster.

The Bobcats don’t play their first AMCC match until Oct. 8 (home vs. Penn State Altoona), so there is plenty of time for the group to work out any kinks.

But all involved are brimming with confidence that this season will mark a turning point for the program.

“I think this is probably our last chance to fly under the radar and sneak up on people,” Conroy said.

Added Miller: “We’re all very driven and motivated to continue to improve. … And I think we’re confident we can do that.”


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