It is often said in volleyball that the most important play is the next play, and that is what the Lady Bulldogs are focusing on going into the mid-season.
The volleyball team is nearly halfway through their Gulf South Conference schedule with a conference record of 4-6 and overall count of 5-11. This weekend the Lady Bulldogs are facing three matches in a tournament in Carrollton, Georgia.
At this point in the season, head coach Darrin McClure said it’s important for his athletes to focus on the future and not dwell on the past.
“We have to focus on what is in front of us,” McClure said. “It’s a challenge for us to have a short-term memory when it comes to losses. We have great players on this team, we just aren’t playing consistently.”
Inconsistency has been the teams’ biggest enemy this season. The team started their conference run out strong with a 2-0 record. Shortly after the wins and loses became scattered.
“We have times where we can play great volleyball and everything is clicking but then there are times where things can kind of fall apart,” Elise Seufert, senior social work major, said. “For the second half of the season we are looking to have more consistency in our ‘on’ moments, and I’m confident that as a team we can do that.”
The Lady Bulldogs have a hopeful second half of the season ahead, tied for sixth place in the conference. According to McClure, one strength the team hopes to play to is their team chemistry—evident on and off the court.
“Our team is really close to each other, giving us a good foundation,” he said. “Elise, our only senior, is a fantastic leader day in and day out. She has done a lot for us vocally and emotionally. I want to see us rally around her and get those wins to finish the season strong.”
Players said they were confident they can figure out what strategies work this upcoming weekend and focus on keeping them consistent to finish the season well.
“I am really looking forward to our tournament this weekend as well as continuing to try to make it to the conference tournament; I have full faith we will,” Seufert said.
