Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (8/29/2022) – "Volleyball is a game of inches. It's a matter of consistency and discipline," said Head Coach Kristen Johnson. "It's about doing the little things right. The team who wins is the team that serves and passes the best, not the team with the flashiest hitting strategies or the one who hits straight down." Coach Johnson and the Gwynedd Mercy University women's volleyball team are ready to prove that they are the better team in 2022.

In 2021, All-Atlantic East Conference (AEC) seasons from league's Rookie of the Year, junior middle hitter Ashley Brown (Lansdale, Pa.) (1^st Team) and junior outside hitter Aybria Purnell (Reading, Pa.) (2^nd Team) propelled Gwynedd Mercy University to the fifth seed in the AEC Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament. The placement sent the Griffins to #4 Marywood University for a quarterfinal match; there, Purnell scored 17 kills on a .233 (17K-7E-43TA) hitting percentage and recorded three block assists for 18.5 total points. Unfortunately, her performance was not enough to detour the Pacers from a 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 25-17, 25-15) victory.
 
Brown and Purnell will once again be the focus of the Griffin offense in 2022, but with the graduation of four-year starting setter Bridget McTamney '22 the bulk of the setting duties fall to freshmen Amanda Lopez (Houston, Texas) and Ayanna Gaston (Middletown, Del.). "We are excited for our two new freshmen setters. Amanda offers pristine technical skills both in setting and passing, while Ayanna possess awesome power and athleticism as a setter and hitter," endorsed Coach Johnson. The freshmen duo will be complimented by the backline play of Morris, who finished last season second in the AEC with 454 digs. "We are excited that Ashley has returned to play. Her passing is key to our success!"

Last season, Brown (215.5 points) and Purnell (311.5) combined for 527 points on the Gwynedd Mercy University front line. Brown garnered her AEC Rookie of the Year title and an All-AEC First Team selection with 179 kills on a .239 (179K-56E-514TA) hitting percentage, 13 assists, 14 aces, 111 digs, and 36 blocks (9 solo, 27 assisted). Meanwhile, Purnell attracted her All-AEC Second Team honor with 267 kills on a .096 (267K-171E-1,002TA) hitting percentage, 24 assists, 29 aces, 249 digs, and 27 blocks (4 solo, 23 assisted). She was named the AEC Player of the Week on October 4, after totaling 55 kills, seven assists, six aces, 52 digs, and five blocks (1 solo, 4 assisted) in the 2-2 week that included victories over Cairn University (W, 3-1; 23-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-18) on Sept. 28) and Penn State Abington (W, 3-1; 25-16, 28-30, 25-17, 25-17 on Oct. 2).
 
"We also welcome two more freshmen," said Coach Johnson. "(freshman middle hitter/right side) Annie Wenrich (Valley View, Pa.) will be our tallest player at 5'11" and Pugh, who offers versatility and a diverse skill set." Like Gaston, freshman Charlotte Pugh (Philadelphia, Pa.) can play multiple positions and may figure into the rotation at setter, middle and outside hitter, as well as right side. Conversely, Gwynedd Mercy University additionally returns pin hitters senior Julianne Dove (Pottstown, Pa.) and junior Julia Rabe (Virginia Beach, Va.), along with sophomore middle blocker Lexi Lane (Frederick, Co.) and defensive specialist Maddie Stancil (Lincoln University, Pa.). Rabe had a strong sophomore season with 132 points on 119 kills, 10 aces, and five blocks (1 solo, 4 assisted), while Lane and Stancil's freshmen campaigns were equally impressive. The former totaled 127 points on 111 kills and 27 blocks (5 solo, 22 assisted) and the latter scored 20 aces while making 135 digs.
 
"This is a strong freshmen class," encouraged Coach Johnson. "We are excited to see how that mixes with strong returning talent. Morris provides great ball control, Brown is a proven offensive weapon, and Purnell can be one of the top three hitters in our league." She concluded, "We want to serve consistently and use our side-out offense to our advantage. We want to beat every team we are better than. If we do we'll finish higher in conference this year."
 
The Gwynedd Mercy University women's volleyball season begins on Thursday, September 1, when the Griffins welcome Albright College to the Griffin Complex for a 7:00 p.m. season-opener.