Baldwin had fallen behind in the second set against Mount Lebanon several weeks ago. Then junior Brayden Gremba went up to serve.
His strong serves changed the course of that set. Baldwin picked up the win in that set, though they lost the match.
“It felt great to shift the setting of the game, although the outcome is not what we expected,” Gremba said.
Gremba has been playing volleyball since he was 14 years old, when his dad introduced him to the sport.
He found his love for volleyball through his father’s job coaching the girls’ team at Upper St. Clair. Gremba got plenty of volleyball experience, being able to practice at USC open gyms and running further drills with his dad and the girls on the USC team.
“Being able to see that level of volleyball also helped understand the flow of the game,” Gremba said.
Gremba brings energy and strategic thinking to the court, junior Alex Kelly said.
“I think Brayden is pretty smart when he is in a game setting. He is very aware of the court, and he thinks about how he will execute the play before doing it, which I think makes him a great player,” Kelly said.
Gremba has been a starter since his freshman year. But during that first season, he got injured.
“I broke my foot freshman year and had to sit out for some of the season. I had the boot on for six weeks,” Gremba said.
Gremba realized that his support system helped his recovery and contributed to improving his skill set.
“The support of my family and friends really helped me in the long run. Without an uplifting support system, I don’t know if I would be the same player I am today,” Gremba said.
Since that time, Gremba has been a key player as an outside hitter. His ability to see the plays and communicate with his team under pressure is a big part of his success.
“I think Brayden serves and hits really well. His aggressiveness on the court helps our team a lot. He is great at uplifting us and is just all around a good teammate,” junior Dylan Leonhardt said.
The Highlanders’ record is now 5-7.
“In my opinion, I feel like the season is going okay so far. It’s definitely not what we expected, but we’ve turned it around since starting 0-7,” Gremba said.
