S C O R E B O A R D Augustana I 1-2 L Southw<'slern Okl(lhomu I 5-3 W SouthC'rn Na,wr<.'ne I 2-0 v\/ Eust Central I ..J-1 Mi Ouachita Jfoptist I 2-..J L Southwesleni Okluhonw I 5-1 W Northweste1'11 Oklahoma I 5-0 W Southern Nazarene I 3-0 W Oklahoma Baptist I 1-0 W East Cent1·al I 3-0 W Ouachitu Baptist I 3-1 W Northwestern Oklahoma I 2-0 W Southwestern Oklahoma I 2-2 T Southern Ncizarene I 2-0 W Oklahoma Buptist I 1-0 W Mississippi College I o-o T Union I 4-0 W Hendrix I ..;-1 W Centrnl Buptist I --o W Missouri ·western 11-2 L Emporia State I 1-3 L Great American Conference Tournam<.'nt Chonipions By Libbie Turner Many athletes considered their teammates to be like family, but for juniors Anna-Grace and MaryMargaret Kirkman, the sentiment rang true. The identical twin sisters played center midfield and forward for the Lady Bisons soccer team. Sharing a room, a major, a sport and a last name, the two spent most of their time together. The Kirkman twins broke onto the Searcy soccer scene when they were 5 years old playing in the Searcy Little League. Anna-Grace and MaryMargaret spent the majority of their athletic careers side-by-side. Following their debut, Anna-Grace and Mary-Margaret continued on to play for the Livewires, a competitive soccer team based in Searcy. Throughout their childhoods, both girls continued to play soccer, while picking up basketball, tennis and golf, until becoming Lady Bisons soccer players in the fall of 2013. During the season, the soccer team practiced six days a week, including game days. Mary-Margaret said the long hours spent together created close bonds between the Lady Bisons. "We're a tight knit group of girls," Mary-Margaret said. "We like to mess around in the locker room, but when we step on the field, we know how to pull it together and make things happen." Growing up, the Kirkmans attended Lady Bisons soccer games together. For Anna-Grace, the reality of playing for the team she used to watch made the experience of being a Harding '}-, \\T () soccer player even richer. "I've played soccer my whole life, so playing in college just felt like the next level," Anna-Grace said. "But I've realized that little kids look up to us. I remember coming to the games and looking up to the girls playing, and now it's me in that position." Mary-Margaret said although transitioning into playing at the college level had its difficulties, playing with her sister made the change less challenging. For both women, having a roommate who understood the schedule of a college athlete made following a disciplined regimen easier. "Since we've played together all of these years, we know how the other one plays and thinks," MaryMargaret said. "Starting on a new team, most people have to learn how to communicate, but we can just communicate mentally." The twins' mother and Associate Director of the American Studies Institute Kim Kirkman played fast-pitch softball throughout high school and was familiar with the importance of a supportive culture within the team. Kim said while it was convenient having her daughters play close to home, the relationships they formed while playing for the Bisons were what mattered most. "Ten years from now, what level you played on is really not as big of a deal as the relationships you made and the values you developed as a young adult," Kim said. "You have to look at what's going to matter down the road." Junim·s Anna-Grnce and Afary-Margarel Kirkmun began pluying for thC' Lady Bisons in 2013. I Photo by Owen Brown The Lady Bisons celebrate a goal against Northwestern Slate Oklahonw Uniuersity on Oct. 22. The Bisons won their 10th shutout of the season in the Great American Conference. i Photo by Owen Brown \\' 0 -'l E ~ 'S SO c; CE H 2 :J 7
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