While the LSU volleyball team has become one of the hottest teams in the Southeastern Conference, senior outside hitter Helen Boyle has had to watch from the sidelines.
On Oct. 5, the LSU volleyball team won the first of its current nine-game win streak, but it was also the last time Boyle played for the Tigers for more than three weeks. Shoulder soreness stemming from a surgery more than a year and a half ago flared up in the second set and forced her out of the match.
Boyle said her time on one of the U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Teams led to her swinging too much over the summer and caused the soreness.
Overall, Boyle missed six games, including one of the most important to her, LSU’s trip to Missouri. The Eureka, Missouri, native said it was tough to miss such a personally important game but was proud of how her teammates played.
“That was very hard, but I mean we won so that’s all that really matters,” Boyle said.
Boyle said missing six games was nothing compared to when she previously missed six months.LSU coach Fran Flory said her commitment to the team and positive attitude is exactly what makes Boyle so valuable to the team.
“I’m proud of her with how her response has been to this because it’s got to be frustrating as heck,” Flory said. “But she’s never allowed her individual struggles to affect the outcome of anything this team has done or the morale.”
One of Boyle’s fellow seniors, setter Malorie Pardo said she feels bad for Boyle having to miss a few weeks during her senior season, but Boyle isn’t ready to give up on her final year yet. 
“It’s definitely been very hard since my volleyball career will be over in a month and a half, but, you know, it happens,” Boyle said.
Her attitude and focus on what’s ahead instead of dwelling on the past has been influential on the entire team. Pardo said she has been a major part to the Tigers’ current winning streak without even stepping foot on the court.
“The impact that she has had on this team vocally these last couple weeks is what we really needed, what we were missing,” Pardo said. “I think the only person that really led that was her. She’s been a huge part of our success.”
Pardo also said Boyle has always been a vocal leader, but more so than usual these past few weeks.
Flory taught Boyle everybody has a role on the team and can impact the game whether they play or not. A lesson Boyle didn’t take lightly.
“Since my freshman year, Fran has always said that you have to try to earn your points,” Boyle said. “Even if you’re on or off the court, you earn points for the team … I’m off yelling positivity to them if they’re negative. Just to get them to earn the points, but indirectly it’s through me. You just got to try to earn your points anyway you can.”
Boyle finally got her chance to get back to earning those points on the court last Friday in LSU’s match against South Carolina. The senior got the start for the Tigers and played in all four sets, totaling eight digs and one assist playing only in the backline.
Though she is a killer by position, Boyle said staying in the backline doesn’t bother her.
“I really love defense,” Boyle said. “I like it more than front row, so I don’t mind only playing back row.”
But she couldn’t stop herself from taking at least one swing in the match.
During a rally, chaos ensued on the Tigers’ side after a dig and a diving assist left the ball for Boyle to make the third hit, and the senior couldn’t resist taking a swing at it with her sore shoulder.
“I wasn’t supposed to swing,” Boyle said after the game. “It was fun. I hadn’t swung at a ball in four weeks, so I didn’t know what was going to happen … I was going to go with my left hand, but I don’t know, last second, I decided to go to my right.”
In the Tigers second match on Sunday, Boyle didn’t take any swings and totaled one dig, playing in only one set. Flory said the pace of the match called for freshman outside hitter Mimi Eugene’s ability to swing rather than Boyle’s defense.
Flory said she will remain cautious with Boyle through the rest of the season, but they will continue to try to increase her workload as much as her shoulder will allow.
“Helen’s going to come on and be a defender for us now until we get her arm back to where it is,” Flory said. “The key is if we can get her onto the court and get her into the tempo and the speed of play playing backcourt, then we feel like she has better chance to contribute in more ways later.”