With no conference wins thus far this season, the Mississippi State volleyball team has been looking for a spark to keep the morale high. Thanks to the lone senior, Chanelle Baker, that spark was found.
The Bulldogs come in to their final home weekend this season winless in conference play. This weekend features matches against in-state rival Ole Miss on Friday and Missouri on Sunday. Sunday’s match against Missouri will be the last home match Baker will play in her college career.
This volleyball season has been plagued with every obstacle a person can imagine, beginning with the absence of middle blocker Lainey Wyman during the opening two weekends of the season due to a suspension.
The team continued to be plagued with issues such as player illnesses, injuries and even a captain leaving the team.
Head coach Jenny Hazelwood said the season has been unexpectedly difficult.
“It feels like someone thought of the worst things that could happen to a team in one season, wrote it in a script and gave it to us,” Hazelwood said.
However, even though the season has not looked like it was once hoped to be at the beginning of the season, the girls have done a great job of keeping everything in the back of their minds and staying focused on volleyball. Freshman Sarah Nielsen said this team is still all business.
“We need to win this weekend for multiple reasons,” Nielsen said. “It has been a year full of surprises, but we are ready to just play volleyball.”
The team is aware this will be Baker’s final home weekend, and the girls said they are doing all they can to work harder than ever for a win this weekend for their senior leader.
Sophomore Rachel Williams said the tempo of practice throughout this week has been different than usual.
“We know how important this weekend is for Chan (Chanelle Baker), and we are working harder than ever to come out of this weekend with big wins,” Williams said.
A native of Carrolton, Texas, Baker was a part of Hazelwood’s first recruiting class at MSU. Since being at State, Baker has been successful on and off the court during her career.
During her freshman year, Baker was named to the 2009 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll, as well as making the Dean’s List. On the court, Baker ended fifth overall for the team in kills with 113.
She continued her excellence on and off the court every year after that, increasing her kill total her sophomore year, as well as setting career-high numbers in digs and block during her junior year. She has also been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll every year since being enrolled at MSU.
Hazelwood said she has enjoyed coaching Baker and watching her mature throughout the years.
“It has been the best thingfor me as a coach to watch her grow as a player, as well as a person,” Hazelwood said. “I know she is fully prepared for the next step in her life, and I have no doubt that she will be successful in all that she does.”
Baker and the team will begin their final home weekend of the season against Ole Miss on Friday at 7 p.m., then ending the weekend against Missouri at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Newell Grissom Building.