For The Tribune
There is no doubt where Mollie Borcherding likes to play when she is on a volleyball court.
Borcherding has played front row throughout her career in Seymour.
The senior said she prefers to play in the middle.
“There are so many different plays you can run, and it feels great when you get that block, and get those kills,” Borcherding said. “The middle spot is so fast-paced that you have to go in quick, otherwise you’re not going to get the set. So when you do finally get it, it feels really good to get that kill.”
Borcherding said she likes to run a quick offense and blocking.
“The ball is set just above the net, and you’re in there ready to swing,” she said. “We double-block on the outside, so you really have to work to get out there.”
On the court, teamwork is the key to the Owls’ success, according to Borcherding.
“The pass has to be perfectly to the setter in order to run the middle, so the back row really has to work to get those passes up,” Borcherding said. “You really have to work together as a team for everything to run smoothly.
“We have to communicate a lot. We have to trust each other on the court, knowing that we’re going to get those balls up.
“The setter calls the plays. She gives each front-row hitter a play for serve receive, and then for the free ball she also gives us a play too, because free balls are easier to pass, so you want to run a quicker offense to catch the other team off-guard.”
Borcherding said the only time she plays in the back row is to serve and play defense for one rotation.
“I do a floater serve,” she said. “They can move pretty quickly and drop all of a sudden, so they’re pretty hard to play.”
In matches, Borcherding emphasizes the importance of winning the first set.
“The momentum can change at any time,” Borcherding said. “It can change every point, and you want to make sure you have momentum on your side going into the next set.
“You have to come out strong in the first set no matter if its two-out-of-three or three-out-of-five. If its two-out-of-three then we have to push even harder to get it done in two games. That way we’re not tired the rest of the day, especially if it’s a tournament.
Volleyball has been a part of Borcherding’s life for years.
“I started in fifth grade, and ever since I’ve loved playing,” Borcherding said. “I started playing club in seventh grade, and I’ve been playing ever since.
“Playing club ball is when we really get to focus on our skills and getting better. Also, playing with the different girls from different schools, we can bring information back to our team, like where they like to hit or who is doing really good at some things.”
All of the Owls’ success starts in practice.
“Practice is super important because sometimes we go over scouting reports where we need to work on our defense,” Borcherding said. “A lot of times we’ll work on our serve receive and what we need to fix from the weekend, or if we played them before, different things we need to work on so we’re ready when they come at us.”
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Q: Do you feel like you play a competive volleyball schedule?
A: “We have a lot of really tough matches, so we have to mentally prepare ourselves for those tough games in practice. We have to come out strong, and know that we can do it in order to defeat”
Q: Do you feel like your team has a competitive schedule?
A: “We have a lot of really tough matches, so we have to mentally prepare ourselves for those tough games in practice. We have to come out strong, and know that we can do it in order to defeat them.”
Q: What has it been like attending Seymour High School?
A: “I’ve enjoyed it. I’m in quite a few AP courses. They have really helped me prepare for college. I really like my teachers and my classes.
“Playing volleyball has been a really good experience playing with all those girls. We’re more like a family, working together and going through everything with each-other. It’s just been a great experience. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
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Parents: Doug and Jennifer Borcherding
Siblings: Sam, Will
Sports: volleyball 4 years
Organizations: National Honor Society, F.F.A., Latin Club, 4-H, Junior leaders, F.H.A.
Plans after high school: attend college for athletic training
Favorite good: pork chops
Favorite TV show: “The Walking Dead”
Favorite musician: Sam Hunt
Favorite movie: “The Longest Ride”
Favorite team: Purdue volleyball
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