Owings Mills' Bull Perfectly Fine with Learning on the Fly

Fortunately for the Owings Mills girls’ lacrosse team, freshman Briana Bull didn’t really enjoy running track.

If she had, the Eagles still might be searching for a player to fill the most important role on the field.

Despite never having played lacrosse in her life—much less the goalie position—Bull is standing tall between the pipes for an Owings Mills squad that (for lack of a better term) spends a lot of time on defense. And, while she may be inexperienced and not completely comfortable in goal, there is one thing Brianna Bull is not.

Afraid.

“We’re going up against Hereford and Towson and Catonsville and she’s just taken it,” said head coach Kim Zelenka, referring to the heavy amount of shots Bull routinely takes on in goal. “I would never put someone in the goal who was afraid of the ball, and I knew from the beginning that she wasn’t going to be afraid of the ball.”

Bull is not shy or hesitant when it comes to taking her lumps. In a game last week, Catonsville reeled off close to 40 shots. Bull used every piece of equipment and every appendage (her noggin included) to save 14 of those attempts. 

She may not be the most skilled or experienced in goal, but Bull is fearless, and that's something you can’t teach.

And, it’s not just about absorbing the pain that a dense, rubber ball inflicts when it bores into your body. It’s about laying it all on the line for your team. Only a few games into her lacrosse career, Bull already possesses that mentality.

“I do like to stop [the ball] because I feel as though I let the team down if I do let up a score, because it’s just me and it’s my job to protect. I feel like I’ve let them down if I don’t,” Bull said, soft-spoken yet confident. “It’s just the fact that it will hurt for a second, but then it won’t after, so it’s not that big of a deal if it happens.”  

Bull is so intent on not letting her opponents score that she actually takes it personally and is particularly hard on herself if a ball gets past her into the net.

Zelenka, a former goalie herself, understands the pressures of being the last line of defense. She’s doing her best to relate to Bull that every goal scored isn’t a direct error on her part, explaining that other letdowns on the field have to occur before she is faced with a shot attempt.

“The thing about goalie is that it’s very individual. If you miss a goal, you feel like it’s your fault,” Zelenka said. “The only thing we have to work on is self-confidence issues and that’s natural when you play goalie … She’s very hard on herself. In goalie, you can’t get that hard on yourself.”  

However, it’s that kind of attitude that enables Bull to work hard and get better as a player.

Although she may be green in terms of lacrosse, being an all-around athlete is nothing new to Bull, who started on the Eagles’ unbeaten JV basketball team before moving up to varsity for the playoffs.

It was during the hoops season that she connected with Zelenka, her head coach on JV who, looking to build a solid lacrosse program, quickly noticed Bull’s athleticism, especially her footwork.  

Zelenka was immediately wowed with her pupil’s ability to scoop and catch the ball soon after picking up the stick for the first time, and given her ability to quickly change speeds, thought Bull would be a perfect fit to play defense.

With the need for a goalie and Bull’s willingness to give the position a try, the freshman has carved a nice niche for herself inside the crease. 

And, don’t think her teammates don’t appreciate it.

“Usually we have a lot of trouble figuring out who’s going to play goalie. You have to throw people in,” senior Rachel Allen said. “She’s really athletic. From her first game to her second and third game there’s been so much improvement.

“She’s got a ton of saves. She’s been stepping up to the ball, seeing the field better. She was telling us after the game all the things she noticed from the goal and has been really observant. I think she’s going to be really good. She puts everything into it and that’s the most important part.”  

There are still several aspects of the game that Bull needs to work on, such as positioning within the crease and directing her defense vocally, but all that will come in time.

With Bull’s desire and work ethic, it's sometimes easy to forget she’s just a freshman. Understandably so, Zelenka is looking forward to working with her for years to come.

“Hopefully she’ll continue with it. She’s doing great already and she has a great attitude,” Zelenka said. “She’s learning and she’s learning fast.  I have no complaints.”

Lucky for her and the rest of the Eagles, a sport that Bull “just wanted to give a try” is quickly becoming a passion for the young goalie who’s a “keeper” in two senses of the word.

“At first, I didn’t know if I was really going to like it,” Bull said. “But now more and more that it’s been great with the team and me being in goal, they are really supporting me, so I think I’m going to start liking lacrosse more and playing it every year.

“It’s a good opportunity that I’m given, so I’m excited. I’m excited.”