Taylor women’s volleyball has been a highlight over the past couple years for Trojan athletics. This year, they came in with high hopes. Now, they are fighting their way back to dominance. With the departure of a deep senior class, this year’s team has experienced many changes.
The Trojans started with the same dominance, having three losses coming in tournament play. Since then, they have tapered out, currently sitting at an 11-12 record, with a majority of the losses coming in conference play (2-9 overall). Wins have come few and far between, while currently on a three-game losing streak.
“As a team, we are new to playing with each other,” said sophomore Lindsay Springer.
Springer transferred from UNC Asheville this year and has taken over the setter position. Springer stepped into the role with the departure of former Trojan Kacy Bragg. Knowing how dominant Bragg was, she says that she does not want to play like her. Instead, Springer looks to bring success toward herself and push her leadership and play on the court.
Springer looks toward the rest of the season to turn things around. Being hopeful that the team will play conference opponents twice, she hopes for a turning point in confidence to help the team win.
“A lot of these teams we were right there with,” she said. “Then it came down to the last few points. And so now we are learning what to do in those first two sets or three to take care early, and not play catch up.”
Springer believes the plan of action is to take what the athletes know and learn while playing teams and focus on competing.
As Springer steps into a starting role, two other freshmen take their spots on the court. Freshman Reagan Kleiman took over the middle blocker position, moving returning junior Jaylyn Dunsmore to the outside position. Freshman Abi Powers has played back row since debuting for the Trojans. Other new faces on the court include juniors Gracie Conway and Sarah Scott.
Scott is making her second college debut this season. She was injured last year, tearing her ACL, MCL and both menisci, as well as fracturing her tibia. Slowly but surely, she’s managed to get back on the court and pick up where she left off.
“I was really grateful that God healed me up and I was able to play the game again,” Scott said. “It was fun for my friends and my classmates to be here. They were saying they were so excited to see me back.”
Scott has come back for the Trojans with monumental force. Since starting every match her freshman year, she has come into her junior year improving in nearly every statistical category for the purple-and-gray. Notable career highs include kills (239) and points (253). With her in the lineup, the Trojans’ hitting performance has been nothing but elite.
Scott notices a lot of bonding that happens off the court. Being a junior, she has taken on a leadership role. She’s noticed how her teammates have done a good job giving feedback to each other, and even stepping up themselves. She also gave high praise to sophomore McKaylah Flagle, who has shown her experience in her second year as the libero.
Even with Scott’s success, the team has still struggled. Head coach Erin Luthy looks beyond the records and stats to show how important the little improvements are.
“We’re still experiencing the growing pains of a young and inexperienced team,” she said. “We need to understand the reality of what it’s like to truly grow.”
Luthy has been using the phrase “trust the process” as a reminder to continue to push her athletes to be better as the season progresses.
Luthy likes to look at winning small victories. This could be working on mistakes in practice, gaining a two-point lead to win a set or even equipping a player with a new ability to score. Luthy hopes to mold and shape her players to be the best they can be.
At the end of the day, Luthy says that she is so proud of her athletes. She enjoys the push and the challenge that the team goes through. Even with the chemistry still molding together, she still wants to take advantage of as much play as she can throughout the season.
“Every match is our most important match right now,” she said. “Yesterday is gone. Today is now. Tomorrow has to be better.”
Taylor women’s volleyball will have two home matchups, first playing Grace College (15-7) on Oct. 11 then No. 19 Mount Vernon Nazarene University (20-5) on Oct. 18.
