Tag: Samantha Bricio

USC’s Samantha Bricio Does it All

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The following three tweets are from the University of Southern California women’s volleyball twitter account in their 3-1 victory over Oregon State University on October 23rd (25-20, 24-26, 25-16, 25-18). They provide valuable lessons for junior volleyball players.

There was a day when players were stereotyped – tall girls hit and blocked and short girls dug and set. Today all the players, no matter their height, have to do it all.

The first two tweets are about Samantha Bricio, a 6’2″ senior Outside Hitter from Guadalajara, Mexico.

Lesson 1: Bricio does it all!

USC W. Volleyball ‏@uscwomensvolley 8h8 hours ago
@samybricio finishes with 23K (.246) and 15 digs for her 10th double-double of the season. She also had two aces and three blocks #FightOn

Lesson 2: Bricio actually got her double-double just prior to the end of the second set. Bricio has been a consistent well-rounded player for a number of years.

USC W. Volleyball ‏@uscwomensvolley 9h9 hours ago
With 15K and 10D, @samybricio already has her 10th double-double of the season (50th career) through two sets#FightOn #vbscores

Lesson 3: When you are number one in the country, how do you lose a set 24-26 when you have 23 kills and a block? Guess you have to hit your serve in….oops!? (USC missed 5 serves in the second set.) You lose matches when you have unforced errors.

USC W. Volleyball ‏@uscwomensvolley 9h9 hours ago
USC hit .373 in set two and scored all 24 of its points (23K, 1B) but had five service errors | S2 Tied 1-1 #FightOn #vbscores.

bricio

The Top Volleyball Players – Exceptional Skills in Multiple Areas

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There was a time when many of the better setters and defensive specialists were less than six feet tall. In other words, the shorter players were often the best ball handlers and played in those positions. That is not necessarily the case anymore, especially in Division I volleyball, where many of the top players have exceptional skills in multiple areas.

Consider Samantha Bricio, the outside hitter from the University of Southern California. She and her fellow Lady Trojans recently swept the CU Lady Buffs 3-0.Samantha Bricio - exceptional skills in multiple areas

In that match Bricio led her team with 20 kills. She also had 8 digs, only one less than the libero.

On the season so far, Bricio has about 30% of the team’s total kills and 19% of the team’s digs. This compares to the libero, who has 29% of the team’s total digs.

At the national level, Bricio’s statistics are equally as impressive. Through the games played on November 9th, her rankings follow:
• 2nd in aces per set ( 0.77).
• 2nd in total number of aces (68).
• 24th in points per set (5.22)
• 40th in kills per set (4.17).
• 69th in total kills (367).

Bricio is one of several taller players who have exceptional skills in multiple areas. That group includes such players as Mary-Kate Marshall of Oregon State University and Karsta Lowe of UCLA. Samantha Bricio - Excetptional Skills in Multiple Areas

While these three women play “shock and awe” volleyball, the lesson that should be learned from watching them play is that they are well-rounded athletes who have exceptional skills in multiple areas.

Volleyball is a sport that rewards athletes who are strong in multiple areas. Junior players should take notice. If they will learn to pass, set, serve, hit, block, and communicate they will be welcome to play on almost every team.