road environments at Nebraska and Penn State, Morales said that she learned that "our team can really
focus in on what we need to get done."
During their four-match road swing, the Badgers
picked off wins at Iowa and at No. 14 Ohio State.
Since her hometown of Amherst is only 120 miles
from Columbus, Morales
had family and friends
watch her play against
the Buckeyes, including
players from the Steele
High School volleyball
team.
When Morales was
a Steele freshman, she
remembered
looking
up to a senior, Courtney
Jarvis, who was one of
the team leaders. Jarvis went on to a solid career as
an outside hitter at University of Akron, where she
earned All-MAC second team honors in 2011. Jarvis
was 5-9.
"I tried being just as good, if not better. I always
gave myself that inspiration, I tried to imitate her almost, " Morales recalled. "She was a little taller, but
not so much taller than me, and the same kind of
situations happened to her. Even at Akron, they told
her that she wouldn't see the front row."
What makes this recollection even more poignant is the fact that a
current Steele freshman
volleyball player has been
looking up to Morales in
the same light that Morales looked up to Jarvis.
"She has been following
me since she was really
little, since I think she was
about 10," Morales said.
At Ohio State, the youngster introduced herself to
Morales, who was humbled. "It's really awesome,"
she said, "knowing you can have such an influence
on someone so much younger than you."
"IT'S WHAT YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO
REALLY," MORALES SAID. "WHEN PEOPLE
BELIEVE IN YOU AND SEE THAT POTENTIAL IN YOU, LIKE KELLY (SHEFFIELD)
HAS, IT'S AWESOME. HE REALLY PUSHES
ME TO NEVER BE SATISFIED."
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