Junior setter Abby Finder is stepping into a leadership role left by two great setters. Natalie Emro graduated in 2008 and went to Michigan State to play Division I volleyball. Abbey Meier graduated last year.

Finder started playing volleyball competitively when she was 12. She started playing because a club coach needed players for her age group and has played ever since.

“I really didn’t play competitively till a club coach came up to me and asked if I would like to play,” she said. “I felt really confident coming into this year because I played with older girls in club last year. So filling the spot that Abbey and Natalie left was easier than I thought it would be”.

She played in the 18U club division when she was 17, so she felt comfortable running a 5-1 for high school

“Abby is growing into a great young setter. She progresses everyday with every touch and has done a great job being a vocal leader on the floor,” Coach Sue Tillery said, adding that she is a great setter who uses her head and quickness on the court.

Senior middle hitter Maddie Johnson also commented on how Finder has filled the leadership role.

“She has done a great job stepping in. She uses her head because she isn’t as tall as Abby and Natalie also she is quicker than both of them so she gets to more balls and puts up hittable balls from where ever she is on the court.” Johnson has a lot of confidence in her setter and she believes that Finder is doing a great job setting for the young Lafayette team.

Abby is averaging 9.15 assists a game with 421 total assists.

The Lady Lancers have three games coming up this week. Finder feels confident her team will do well this week in the three games. She has shown that she can handle the pressure of running a 5-1 on a competitive high school team, and it only gets better from here.