KUTZTOWN, PA (November 11, 2010) – It's safe to say that if the Kutztown University women's volleyball team held a competition to see who could stay quietest the longest, then sophomore setter
Kimberlee Gomber (Washington, PA/Washington) would be a finalist. Conversely, her partner-in-crime, sophomore
Dana Wright would probably be one of the first people eliminated.
Although their personalities are as opposite as night-and-day, Gomber and Wright are one terrific tandem. Separately, Gomber and Wright are strong players who can stand well on their own. Well, together, they're a perfect combination like peanut butter-and-jelly, crabs-and-Old Bay seasoning, and French toast-and-syrup.
Their talents and skills to give Kutztown head women's volleyball coach
John Gump one of the best setting duos in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). They run the offense, get the team pumped, and most importantly, are guiding them through the intense fury of the playoffs.
Gomber and Wright will be challenged heavily Friday night as Kutztown (21-10 overall) battles PSAC West champion Clarion (27-4) in the second half of a semifinal doubleheader at Clarion's Tippin Gym starting at 7:30 p.m. Edinboro battles Lock Haven in the opener Friday night at 5 p.m. The winners advance to Saturday's 7 p.m. championship game.
“They don't see themselves as competing for a position but as needing to blend talents to complete a position,” Gump said. “Between the two, we have a calm setting presence that we sometimes need when things are leaning towards chaos, but we also have an emotional, excitable force that is sometimes needed when things get a little dead. They have been a very big part of our success this year and I'm happy to have them for two more seasons.”
The tandem of Wright and Gomber has 963 of Kutztown's 1,095 assists. They have been key cogs during the Golden Bears' fantastic season. Gomber has handed out double-digit assists in 24 games this season. She has finished with double-digit assists in 12 consecutive matches entering the Clarion contest. Gomber delivered a career-best 28 helpers in Kutztown's 3-2 win over West Chester.
Meanwhile, Wright has had 25 matches this season of 10 or more assists. She had a season high 28 in a victory over Barton College.
“Last year, we didn't make it this far, but being able to beat Shippensburg meant a lot to all of us,” Gomber said. “It feels really good to still be playing. We know Clarion is a good team, but we're going to work hard in practice and give it our best shot Friday night because we have nothing to lose.”
Gomber is quiet by nature and not a very outwardly emotional person. She plays a very controlled game and doesn't make very many risky decisions. According to Gump, Gomber goes about things with a quiet determination.
Wright is also determined, she's just much louder. She's vocal and outgoing and doesn't hesitate to show emotion. She understands the KU offense and how to execute a game plan, but her personality will also, at times, lead her to take some chances.
“She's my other half,” Gomber said of Wright. “We help each other out a lot. When one of us is struggling, we're right there to encourage each other. We both feed off of each other.”
Gomber dished 12 assists in Kutztown's 3-1 setback to Clarion on Oct. 8. Although Kutztown started the season by winning its first eight matches and have enjoyed plenty of success this season, the turning point of the year occurred during those crossover matches at Clarion and Slippery Rock. Against Clarion, the Golden Bears proved they could play with the PSAC's elite before running out of steam.
However, following that tough defeat, Kutztown dropped a five-set contest against California (Pa.). Then the Golden Bears enjoyed a memorable four-match winning streak highlighted by victories over Lock Haven and West Chester.
“That weekend really helped us,” Gomber said. “After that we knew we were a really good team. Coming close to beating those teams made us push harder. Now, we're going to do everything we can do as a team to make sure our seniors get a chance to play another match.”
No matter what happens, Kutztown will battle hard and make Clarion earn every point.
--KU--
