SENIOR STEPS By Lindsey Ledford On Oct. 17, the Lady Bisons volleyball team snagged a 16-15 lead on a kill by senior outside hitter Molly Howard while playing Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Howard, the only senior player on the team, contributed to the tournament significantly with 15 kills and seven digs. As a child, Howard played volleyball in her backyard against other family members and played on a team coached by her mom in the seventh grade, which Howard said helped foster her love for volleyball. "After my parents let me play, I couldn't get enough of it," Howard said. "I remember one Christmas all the items on my list were from a volleyball catalog I found." Howard's love for volleyball was evident throughout her performance against Southwestern as she averaged 3.5 kills per set. Although the team lost the match, Howard said it was the determination of the team as a whole, not her own talent, that made the match an impressive display of athleticism. "This year I wanted to be the best I could be, and I carried that mindset into eve1y game," Howard said. "I don't think my personal stats from the Southwestern (match) made an impact. The impact was our team's mindset. It made the game so much more intense, I can still remember walking out on the court." Howard also took the time to mentor those following in her footsteps, like freshman Emily Clayton, outside hitter during the 2015 season. "Emily tepped up and made me proud," Howard said. "She was talented and worked so hard." Clayton said she learned new techniques and strategies by watching Howard perform in games and practices. "I have big shoes to fill next season," Clayton said. "I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I learned from the best. Molly taught me the importance of uplifting my teammates. She showed me what it looked like to be relentless in everything." The Lady Bisons head coach Meredith Fear said she enjoyed having Howard on the team because of her skill and personality. Fear believed Howard emulated perfectly "a true Harding athlete." "Molly carried the weight of our offense, which was a hardjob that came with lot ofpressure," Fear said. "She had to balance the weight ofleadership while she transitioned into a new offensive position. We had our trials as a team, but she persevered through all ofthem and handled it well." Beyond her mentorship, Clayton said she became good friends with Howard because of her uplifting personality and kind spirit. "Molly was an incredible example on and off the court," Clayton said. "She had something witty or inspiring to share before each game, which helped everyone get into the right mindset. Molly had a magnetic personality and everyone saw that." Freshnwn middle blocker Zoe Hm·din hits against 01tachita Baptist University 011 Sepl. 29. Hardin led the team with an averaye <~f 2. -6 kills C111cl 1.37 blocks per set. I Photo by Owen Brown
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