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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Freshman setter Taryn Eubank, according to Volleyball Coach Keith Giboney, is one of the best on the team.<\/p>\n
“She’s definitely going to get a lot of playing time,” Giboney said. “She’s doing a really great job as a setter.”<\/p>\n
Eubank said she had no idea she would be starting when she came into the season.<\/p>\n
“The first practice we were told who was in the starting lineup, and I was really happy but definitely shocked,” Eubank said.<\/p>\n
Eubank also said she was impressed with the tournament win to start off the season.<\/p>\n
“It was really great having success for the first tournament, just knowing you were part of that,” Eubank said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
With the help of these freshmen, Giboney said he hopes to defeat the team’s rival and number one ranked team, Arkansas Tech. <\/p>\n
“We’ve had seven division championships in the last nine years, and the two we didn’t win, Arkansas Tech did,” Giboney said. <\/p>\n
The team will face Arkansas Tech at the end of September and October. <\/p>\n
Compared to past years, Giboney believes that the team is stronger.<\/p>\n
“This team is deeper than past years position wise,” Giboney said. “We’re about two to three players deep in every position.”<\/p>\n
He said he also believes that the offense is sound and that the team chemistry is solid.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
This is where Giboney said he thinks they may have issues against teams such as Arkansas Tech.<\/p>\n
“On paper, they’re a lot like us, but in a matchup it can really go either way,” Giboney said.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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