With two freshmen in the starting lineup, the Harding volleyball team was picked second in the Great American Conference preseason poll, behind Arkansas Tech University.
The Lady Bisons started the season on a 5-0 tear, sweeping every opponent 3-0. The last time Harding started the season 5-0 was in 2003. Harding got rolling this past weekend at the Missouri Southern State Tournament in Joplin, Mo., with a 4-0 record.
Freshman setter Taryn Eubank, according to Volleyball Coach Keith Giboney, is one of the best on the team.
“She’s definitely going to get a lot of playing time,” Giboney said. “She’s doing a really great job as a setter.”
Eubank said she had no idea she would be starting when she came into the season.
“The first practice we were told who was in the starting lineup, and I was really happy but definitely shocked,” Eubank said.
Eubank also said she was impressed with the tournament win to start off the season.
“It was really great having success for the first tournament, just knowing you were part of that,” Eubank said.
However, Eubank is not the only freshman who will be starting this season. Six-foot outside hitter freshman Kalyn Helton is one of the team’s young stars, according to Giboney.
“She had a lot of opportunities to play at big schools, but she chose Harding,” Giboney said. “She’s a really strong hitter. All our freshmen this season are just a really balanced class helping to contribute to the team.”
With the help of these freshmen, Giboney said he hopes to defeat the team’s rival and number one ranked team, Arkansas Tech.
“We’ve had seven division championships in the last nine years, and the two we didn’t win, Arkansas Tech did,” Giboney said.
The team will face Arkansas Tech at the end of September and October.
Compared to past years, Giboney believes that the team is stronger.
“This team is deeper than past years position wise,” Giboney said. “We’re about two to three players deep in every position.”
He said he also believes that the offense is sound and that the team chemistry is solid.
“Our one struggle is actually a positive kind of struggle,” Giboney said. “Finding the best lineup, while it’s a struggle, it’s good. We also may struggle a little defensively as we graduated one of the strongest players defensively last year.”
This is where Giboney said he thinks they may have issues against teams such as Arkansas Tech.
“On paper, they’re a lot like us, but in a matchup it can really go either way,” Giboney said.
The Lady Bisons head into the weekend averaging 12.5 kills per set, 15.9 digs per set and 1.9 blocks a set. Harding travels to Huntsville, Ala., today to participate in the Alabama-Huntsville Tournament. The Lady Bison will play West Georgia, Alabama-Huntsville, Cederville and District of Columbia.
