SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer outside hitter Morgan MacGilvary has been named the Southern Conference offensive player of the week, while teammate Tori Penrod is the defensive player of the week for matches played Nov. 7-13, the conference office announced Monday.
MacGilvary led the Bears’ offense this past weekend against Western Carolina and ETSU, recording match-highs in kills in both contests. The junior averaged 4.43 kills per set, while hitting an efficient .413 on the weekend. In the Bears’ four-set win over Western Carolina on Friday, MacGilvary racked up 18 kills on 41 attempts, in addition to 2.0 blocks and two service-aces. Against the 2016 regular-season champions in ETSU on Saturday, the Plano, Texas, native totaled 13 kills, two service aces and 1.0 block.
Penrod notched her second straight SoCon defensive player of the week honor after averaging 5.86 digs per set in the Bears’ pair of matches last week. The senior libero recorded back-to-back 20-dig performances, totaling 21in Mercer’s four-set win over the Catamounts on Sunday and 20 in the Bears’ three-set loss against ETSU on Saturday. Penrod held opposing hitters to a .246 hitting percentage in last week’s matches as the Bears locked up the sixth seed in the 2016 SoCon volleyball championship bracket. The Jupiter, Fla., native also added a pair of service-aces, one in each match, to closeout her regular season career.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Moriah Smith (The Citadel), Rylee Milhorn (ETSU), Ashley Muench (UNCG), Erin Bognar (Samford) and Catie Cronister (Wofford).
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Samantha Espy (The Citadel), Christina Gregory (UNCG), Kate Neisler (Samford) and Madeline Savage (Wofford).
2016 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 29 Rylee Milhorn, Jr., OH, ETSU
Sept. 5 Moriah Smith, Jr., OH, The Citadel
Sept. 12 Jessica Brezwyn, Sr., OH, UNCG
Sept. 19 Erin Bognar, Sr., OH, Samford
Sept. 26 Annie Bierman, Sr., OH, Furman
Oct. 3 Kristy Wieser, Sr., MB/RS, Chattanooga
Oct. 10 Briana Allmon, Sr., OH, ETSU
Oct. 17 Briana Allmon, Sr., OH, ETSU
Oct. 24 Erin Bognar, Sr., OH, Samford
Oct. 31 Erin Bognar, Sr., OH, Samford
Nov. 7 Erin Bognar, Sr., OH, Samford
Nov. 14 Morgan MacGilvary, Jr., OH, Mercer
2016 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 29 Meg DeMaar, Jr., L/DS, Furman
Sept. 5 Kaela Massey, Fr., MB, ETSU
Sept. 12 Meagan Sanchez, Fr. L/DS, Western Carolina
Sept. 19 Tori Penrod, Sr., L/DS, Mercer
Sept. 26 Jordan McNeill, So., L/DS, Furman
Oct. 3 Christina Gregory, So., L/DS, UNCG
Oct. 10 Emily Plumlee, So., MB, Chattanooga
Oct. 17 Christina Gregory, So., L/DS, UNCG
Oct. 24 Ashley Muench, Jr., OH, UNCG
Oct. 31 Christina Gregory, So., L/DS, UNCG
Nov. 7 Tori Penrod, Sr., L/DS, Mercer
Nov. 14 Tori Penrod, Sr., L/DS, Mercer
-www.SoConSports.com-