Bruins junior spikes Owensville

If the ball is set perfectly for Brandi Williamson, hovering perfectly above the net, consider the play over. That’s when she is most dangerous.

Upon seeing the perfect ball, Williamson’s eyes grow and her lips form a circle, sucking in oxygen as if it is fuel for her impending leap. As she bounds off both feet and soars to the ball, her mouth becomes a snarl. She exhales as her arm rockets forward, striking the ball with enough force that opponents fall backwards upon making contact.

The Rock Bridge volleyball team, aided by a number of devastating spikes by Williamson, topped visiting Owensville on Monday night 25-12, 25-22.

Williamson, a junior outside hitter, provides power for the Bruins and usually finds herself at the top of the kills column because of her strong attacks. Williamson, who finished with five kills and two aces in Monday’s match, said that power has become part of her game.

“We’re encouraged to hit it hard,” Williamson said. “Obviously, it makes it tougher for the other team.”

Coach Beth Newton said that Williamson’s power is impressive, and will only get better as her career at Rock Bridge progresses.

“She’s strong,” Newton said. “Her game is getting to be very good, and she is a real force on the court.”

The concern, however, is Williamson’s accuracy. Although her kills are impressive, Williamson missed the court as many times as she hit it, hitting the ball out five times. Williamson said that any time she hits the ball long or wide, it’s a technical problem rather than one of velocity.

“If I miss it, it’s usually because I don’t snap my wrist when I hit it,” Williamson said. “If I snap my wrist, it will usually go down.”

When asked if she ever asks her outside hitter to take some heat off her fastball, Newton answered with a firm no.

“We want her to hit it hard,” Newton said.

Williamson’s power is something that senior Lindsey McDaniel said she admires. McDaniel, who sets many of Williamson’s balls, said that missing one spike is not going to cause Williamson to shy away from her power.

“She’s always just going to go for it,” said McDaniel, who led the Bruins with seven kills. “She’s a smart player. If she misses one, give her a minute, and she’ll get right back in it.”

Williamson’s power also adds an effective tip attack to her arsenal, something that Newton explained makes her power even more valuable.

“When the team is dug in for a big hit and she just tips it, it will usually hit the floor,” Newton said. “That’s key for her.”

But as angry as Williamson appears as she ascends for the spike, she is equally as amiable as soon as the play ends, smiling as if trying to prove that she can show all of her teeth at once. Williamson said that in the middle of the game, her appearance is different than what it would normally be.

“If I’m going up to hit the ball, I want to look angry because it intimidates the other team,” Williamson said. “And also, I want to get myself in the moment.”