SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference named the volleyball players of the week for the matches played the week of October 25-31. Samford's Elizabeth Neisler was named Offensive Player of the Week, while Chattanooga's Paula Passmore was selected as Defensive Player of the Week. The Freshman of the Week honors went to Lauren LaRocque of Georgia Southern. The players of the week are voted on by the league office.
Neisler, a sophomore from Jacksonville, Ala., helped lead Samford to a 2-1 record on the week with wins over UNCG and Elon. The outside hitter led the Bulldogs in hitting in both of the wins. Against Chattanooga on Wednesday, Neisler posted 15 kills and grabbed two block assists. On Saturday against UNCG, she had 21 kills and a career-high .528 hitting percentage with only two errors on 36 swings. Neisler posted 20 kills on Sunday against Elon and hit .308. It was her second consecutive 20-kill match and her third of the season.
Passmore, a Merritt Island, Fla., native, compiled a 5.93 digs per set average, playing two five-set and one four-set match. Against Elon, the sophomore recorded a SoCon season-best 38 digs. The libero continued to perform well against UNCG, as she recorded 29 digs. In the four-set win over Samford, Passmore posted 16 digs. This marks the second time this season Passmore was recognized as the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week, as she garnered the honor in week four.
The SoCon's Freshman of the Week award went to Georgia Southern's Lauren LaRocque. The Borger, Texas native helped the Eagles to a perfect 2-0 record on the week, which included wins over division foes Furman and Wofford. The libero and defensive specialist recorded back-to-back 14-dig matches. It was the third straight time she recorded a 14-dig match, tying a season high. LaRocque earned the starting libero spot in Saturday's win over Wofford. She recorded three of her five service aces on the week against the Terriers. LaRocque is the second Georgia Southern player to earn Freshman of the Week honors, as teammate Nicole Jeschelnik was awarded the honor last week.
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week were College of Charleston's Cole Dawley, The Citadel's Tatum Jestila, Davidson's Hayley Lawson, Elon's Sarah Schermerhorn, Furman's Natalie Braun, Georgia Southern's Bethany Sanford, Chattanooga's Heather Parman and Western Carolina's Paloma Alvarez.
Nominated for Defensive Player of the Week were College of Charleston's Sarah Havel, The Citadel's Jessica Maxwell, Davidson's Jennifer Chamblee, Elon's Caroline Lemke, Furman's Chandler Ambrester, Samford's Alexis Bauer and Western Carolina's Morgan Cochran.
Nominated for Freshman of the Week were The Citadel's Erin Bucherl, Furman's Elle Ross, Samford's Taylor Palmer, Chattanooga's Tess Kosycarz and Western Carolina's Morgan Cochran.
2010 Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Week 1 - Whitney Russell, College of Charleston
Week 2 - Hillary Fountain, Samford
Week 3 - Courtney Barnes, Chattanooga
Week 4 - Kelly Kirby, Furman
Week 5 - Parker Small, Georgia Southern
Week 6 - Sarabeth Peele, Davidson
Week 7 - Sarabeth Peele, Davidson
Week 8 - Parker Small, Georgia Southern
Week 9 - Kate Van Dyke, Georgia Southern
Week 10 - Elizabeth Neisler, Samford
2010 Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Week 1 - Kayren Finney, UNCG
Week 2 - Alison Blasingame, Appalachian State
Week 3 - Paige Johnson, College of Charleston
Week 4 - Paula Passmore, Chattanooga
Week 5 - Ashley Roe, Georgia Southern
Week 6 - Kelly Kirby, Furman
Week 7 - Kayren Finney, UNCG
Week 8 - Sarah Havel, College of Charleston
Week 9 - Sarah Havel, College of Charleston
Week 10 - Paula Passmore, Chattanooga
2010 Volleyball Freshmen of the Week
Week 1 - Katie Murphy, Samford
Week 2 - Sarah McCarthy, Furman
Week 3 - Erin Bucherl, The Citadel
Week 4 - Kellie Orewiler, UNCG
Week 5 - Jennifer Kuroski, Chattanooga
Week 6 - Cali Estes, Elon
Week 7 - Katie Murphy, Samford
Week 8 - Amanda Liguori, Wofford
Week 9 - Nicole Jeschelnik, Georgia Southern
Week 10 - Lauren LaRocque, Georgia Southern