Over fall break, Allegheny volleyball player Taylor Samuel, ’16, was injured in a car accident with two other Allegheny students.

Samuel was bruised, and suffered a concussion and injured right elbow in the accident.

“My recovery is sleep and rest, drinking a lot of water, and no physical activity,” Samuel said.

Samuel was a starter for the team and recently was awarded NCAC Player of the Week. This season Samuel has started eighteen matches and played twenty-four, scoring an average 3.21 points per set for the Gators.

Coach Bridget Sheehan said when a player is injured, the hope is that the team impact is minimal however with a starter being out, the impact is not minimal.

“It sucks being out and having to just watch, but I love watching and supporting my team,” Samuel said.

Recovery for Samuel’s injuries will have her out for the remainder of the 2014 season.

“I would like to say I contribute to the team,” Samuel said. “We have strong freshman who are doing well and we will come out strong.”

Bailey Gawley, ’17, said having Samuel out of the game has forced the team to step up.

Sheehan said Samuel is a hitter and a passing hitter and it is a complicated process playing around her being out.

“We are working on two player passing which is hopefully working,” Sheehan said. “Hitting is hard to substitute, with a freshman replacement there is not as much experience.”

Having a starting player out gives opportunity for other players to step up.

“Teams lose players and the next player has to be prepared to make an impact,” Sheehan said. “We have a freshman who is stepping up with the opportunity.”

Gawley said with a young team full of talented players, there is competition for the spot. The team has three freshman outsides, the position that Samuel plays, so there is opportunity for the newer players to play in the remainder of the season.

“Losing a player with the experience Samuel has means losing leadership in games against hitting teams such as DePauw and Wittenburg,” Gawley said.

The team has one senior and two juniors, which means less experience on the court especially with Samuel being out.

“She [Samuel] is a player people look up to and not having her there has really forced the team to come together,” Gawley said.

The team is looking forward to finishing the season strong with a win on Sat. Nov. 1 and compete well in the conference tournament.