SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 14-20. The Citadel outside hitter Sharlissa De Jesus was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while ETSU libero Marija Popovic was named the Defensive Player of the Week and teammate Emily Arnold was tabbed the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
De Jesus picks up The Citadel’s first honor of the season and the first of her career after helping the Bulldogs to a 3-0 week, including two wins over SoCon foes. The junior, who had double-doubles in each of the three matches, began the week with 13 kills and 16 digs to push the Bulldogs past North Carolina Central in a nonconference contest. In conference play, The Citadel downed Wofford 3-1 and picked up its first conference win behind a match-high 22 kills and 12 digs from De Jesus, a preseason all-conference selection. She hit .452 in the match, finishing with just three errors on 42 swings. The native of Guayama, Puerto Rico, led the Bulldogs with 22 kills and added 10 digs and two aces in a five-set win over Chattanooga. The Citadel has won four matches in a row dating back to Sept. 13, the program’s longest winning streak since the 2004 season, and has won two consecutive conference matches for the first time since Sept. 21-22, 2018.
Popovic collects her first honor of the season and sixth of her career as ETSU went 2-0 to claim sole possession of the conference lead (8-0). The back-to-back Libero of the Year and preseason all-conference selection averaged 4.75 digs and 1.50 assists per set on the week. In the sweep at Western Carolina, which entered the match with an identical 6-0 league record, Popovic led all players with 22 digs. She added eight assists in the win. In a five-set win at Samford, the native of Belgrade, Serbia, led the Bucs with 16 digs.
Arnold, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, averaged 12.0 assists and 1.88 digs per set in ETSU’s two wins. The freshman tallied a match-high 37 assists and added seven digs, two block assists and an ace in the sweep at Western Carolina. She dished out 59 assists, again a match high, in the 3-2 win over Samford.
The Citadel hits the road to face Samford (13-5, 7-1 SoCon) on Friday, Oct. 25, and plays at Mercer (9-12, 2-6) on Saturday, Oct. 26. ETSU (17-3) begins a four-game homestand, welcoming Furman (4-15, 4-4) on Friday and UNC Greensboro (9-13, 3-5) on Saturday.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sara Esposito (ETSU), Nicole Mack (Furman), Maria Esch (UNCG), Kelsi Hobbs (Samford), Merry Gebel (Western Carolina) and Riley Coonan (Wofford).
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Mandy Garvens (UNCG), Emily Naubert (Samford), Meagan Sanchez (Western Carolina) and Riley Coonan (Wofford).
Also nominated for setter of the week: Megan Fuhr (The Citadel), Katie Murphy (Furman), Gabriela McHugh (UNCG), Corinne Meglic (Samford), Hannah Price (Western Carolina) and Lorissa King (Wofford).
2019 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Sept. 2 Lauren Deaton, So., OH, Samford
Sept. 9 Kaela Massey, Sr., MB, ETSU
Sept. 16 Kelsi Hobbs, Sr., RS, Samford
Sept. 23 Abigail Veit, Sr., OH, Western Carolina
Sept. 30 Kelsi Hobbs, Sr., RS, Samford
Oct. 7 Kelsi Hobbs, Sr., RS, Samford
Oct. 14 Kaela Massey, Sr., MB, ETSU
Oct. 21 Sharlissa De Jesus, Jr., OH, The Citadel
2019 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Sept. 2 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Sept. 9 Catie Cronister, Sr., OH, Wofford
Sept. 16 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Sept. 23 Sydney Cherney, Fr., LIB, ETSU
Sept. 30 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 7 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 14 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Oct. 21 Marija Popovic, Jr., LIB, ETSU
2019 SoCon Volleyball Setters of the Week
Sept. 2 Gabriela McHugh, Fr., UNCG
Sept. 9 Corinne Meglic, R-So., Samford
Sept. 16 Corinne Meglic, R-So., Samford
Sept. 23 Malia Randolph, Jr., Mercer
Sept. 30 Emily Arnold, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 7 Emily Arnold, Fr., ETSU
Oct. 14 Nya Steele, So., Mercer
Oct. 21 Emily Arnold, Fr., ETSU
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