Lauren Holm, sophomore on William Jewell’s volleyball team, recently came off a 3-0 triumph against Saint Joseph College. Breaking a six-game losing streak and improving their wins to 2-8, the team experienced a major victory, and Holm is currently leading the team in kills.
“We kind of had a little losing streak going there for a while. There were two weekends there where we didn’t see ourselves win. This is our second victory of the season. We played the best we have all season in my mind. The atmosphere on the court was awesome, and it was fun. It was the first time we had fun in two weeks,” Holm said.
However, it is still a long road to making postseason conference, which is a major goal for Holm and the team.
“Coming off this win, I’d like to see us push and get wins against those teams we’re right there with. I think if we keep pushing and keep believing we’re a good team, I think we’re going to see a huge turn of events. I’d like to see us move to the top of the conference and maybe make a run at postseason conference. I know that’s difficult, but I think we can do it, and I think we have all the tools to get it,” Holm said.
Holm stayed close to her roots when she chose Jewell, as she is a Liberty, MO local; sshe says her biggest inspiration is her grandfather. After deciding on Jewell, she chose to pursue a degree in business administration with a minor in communication. While she would love to continue playing volleyball after college, she doesn’t see this becoming a reality.
“I’m 5’7” so I know I won’t go pro or anything, but I hope to take the things I learn from volleyball and apply them to real life. And I know I will with the things Coach Carolyn Raynes has taught us this year,” Holm said.
The team is undergoing many important changes. There are eight first-year players compared to the 10 returners. Holm is also welcoming their new coach, who she says emphasizes positivity, high energy and communication.
“The one most important thing is working with people whether you’re on a losing team or a winning team, the relationships you build with people are huge. And adjusting to different types of personalities or different types of work ethics have given me the opportunity to get to know people,” Holm said.
Holm travels with the team to Missouri S&T at Rolla on Friday the 26th and then to Drury University on the 27th.
“In a couple days we go to Drury and Rolla. They’re two really good teams but they’re also teams I think we can beat. This week has been high energy, we’ve been having fun, and I think we’re ready to compete against two good teams,” Holm said.