Diving forthe ball Oct. S, senior middle blocker Katie Westmoreland digs in the game against Chris– tian Brothers University. Westmoreland led the Lady Bisons with a .320 hitting average and was the first Harding volleyball ever to receive the CoSIDA Academic All-America 1st Team honors. -Craig Rainbolt Freshman outside hitter Manuela Nesheva spikes the ball against Arkansas-Monticello on Sept. 19. Nesheva made nine kills in this Gulf South Conference game. -Chelsea Roberson vo e Lady Bisons dominate Gulf South Conference The Lady Bisons volleyball team showed what they were tru ly made of this season when they ended the regular season with a perfect 12-0 Gulf South Conference record. Coach Keith G iboney said the girls entered the season know– ing they were expected to win. "We expect to win and we don't lose," senior Tiffany Morrison said. "Other teams know that we expect to win , and that is all there is to it." The team attributed their wins to diligent players and their confident attitude. "We have had a successful program for the last few years," senior Katie Westmoreland said. "There is a lot of talent, but you don't JUSt need talenr. The reason we work so well together is because we have talent and hard wo rkers." Coach Keith Gi boney said going 12-0 was really tough because elements such as playing on the toad in different gyms, as well as other fans made the season difficult. "You always expect to have an off night," Giboney said. "So ro go undefeated really shows complete dominance and thar is a tribute to the players themselves." The perfect conference season was not the end for the team. After rhe 12 regu lar season wins came some post season victories in the Gulf South Conference Tournament with wi ns over West Georgia and West Florida. "I love (he intensity of POSt season/' graduate student Paige Good said. "There is a d ifferent feel ro these games. We are playing for something and everyone has their sights on getting it," G iboney said there was an extra excitement during playoffs. Regard– less of.whom they were playing or when they were playing, each game could have been their last. "We like being on top and the team to beat," Giboney said. "What goes up must go down though, and we have a bulls-eye on us because everyone knows we are the team to heaL" T he Lady Bisons ended the rournament with a loss to No rth Alabama. Their overall record was 24-9. Even though the pose season d id not end as well as the regu lar season, it was all an accomplishment that was made as a team and as a group of friends, Good said. "The most important reason for our success, (hough, is (hat we get alo ng so well on and off the court," Morrison said. "The best parr of being on this team is the lifelong friends tha t I have made." -Brooke Light voillevball
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