Senior Taylor Smith’s absence may well in fact be over, as head coach Julie Allen hinted that the 2017 All-OVC senior could make a return to the lineup as early as this weekend, with Eastern scheduled to play Austin Peay and Murray State.

While the configuration of the lineup changed when she left, the team marched onward at much the same cadence, not with regards to performance but rather in terms of cohesion.

This was in no small part due to Smith’s resolve to remain committed to the rehabilitation process and, with the end goal in mind, the interests of the team. 

 “When an injury happens, one key important part is to stay positive, stay focused on rehab and know you can come back even stronger from it,” said Allen. “Taylor has done an excellent job taking the right steps to get herself stronger and in tune with her teammates.”

On the condition that she will line up next to her teammates on the court as anticipated, Smith should be available to play in Friday’s matchup. 

This scenario will place her on the court against the Governors who, at 3-0 in home matches and undefeated in conference play, have flashed the best record in the Ohio Valley Conference throughout much of the season. 

Directly across the net from Smith, Austin Peay sophomore and outside hitter Brooke Moore invigorated its offense to a fourth straight win, gluing together 30 kills as part of the Governors’ pair of victories last week.

Murray State, the second of two opponents on the Tennessee road trip, has won five of the last six meetings, dating back to 2015, versus the Panthers. 

The last time the Panthers outlasted Murray State, Eastern benefitted from one of its freshman, as it was Smith of all players, who led all players with 18 kills and six blocks.

But, even so, Allen is not demanding that Smith play at this caliber.  

“There are no expectations put on Taylor or any returning player when coming back from an injury,” Allen said. “All I ask for is the athlete to be honest, listen to their body and athletic trainer. And, when a player is cleared, it is then my job as a coach to get the player feeling comfortable to play and play alongside their teammates.”

Sidelined with an ankle sprain ever since the Drake tournament in the opening weeks of September, Smith took on an advisory role off the court, assisting her teammates as best she could in this newfound occupation. 

In reference to her minutes on the court, Allen does not bear any reservations concerning Smith’s ability to recuperate after such a prolonged departure from the volleyball court.

“Taylor has done a great job leading the team while being out and I do not see any problems when she gets to get back on the court,” Allen said. “She has done a nice job staying involved throughout the weeks and knows exactly what I expect from the team, the plays and defense.”

Tom O’Connor can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].