SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference named its volleyball players of the week Monday for games played Oct. 28-Nov. 3. ETSU outside hitter Lauren Hatch was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while Wofford middle blocker Riley Coonan was named the Defensive Player of the Week and teammate Lorissa King was tabbed the Setter of the Week. The players of the week are selected by the league office.
Hatch picks up her first career honor after helping the Bucs to a 2-0 week. The freshman from Homewood, Illinois, began the week with 13 kills, four digs and two blocks in a sweep of Mercer on Nov. 1. A day later, Hatch threw down 29 kills, tying a program record for kills in a match and becoming just the fourth player to reach the mark, in a five-set win over Chattanooga. Hatch’s output was the first 25-plus kill performance by a Buc since Brianna Allmon had 28 at Western Carolina on Oct. 7, 2016, and is the most by a conference player since Wofford’s Catie Cronister had 31 on Nov. 4, 2017. She hit .411 and added eight digs in the contest as ETSU moved to 11-1 in the conference and remains tied atop the conference with Samford.
Coonan also collects her first career honor as Wofford went 2-0 with wins over UNC Greensboro and Furman. The junior hit .533 with nine kills and just one error, adding three digs and three blocks in the sweep of the Spartans on Friday. In the 3-1 win over Furman on Saturday, the native of Jacksonville, Florida, registered a career-high five solo blocks. She also hit .500 and tallied 12 kills, committing just one error on 22 swings.
King, a Windermere, Florida, native, averaged 11.71 assists and 1.43 digs per set on the week. She dished out a match-high 33 assists and added five digs in the 3-0 win over UNCG. Against the Paladins, she recorded 49 assists, a match-high and her second-most this season, again adding five digs in the win.
After four consecutive home games, ETSU (20-4) hits the road to face The Citadel (10-15, 4-8 SoCon) on Friday, Nov. 8, and Wofford (13-13, 6-6) on Saturday, Nov. 9. Wofford remains at home, hosting Western Carolina (16-9, 10-2) on Friday before welcoming the Bucs to town the next day.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sharlissa De Jesus (The Citadel), Neci Harris (Furman), Lauren Deaton (Samford), MaKenzie White (Western Carolina) and Catie Cronister (Wofford).
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Marija Popovic (ETSU), Andrea Aceveda (Furman), Emily Naubert (Samford) and Meagan Sanchez (Western Carolina).
Also nominated for setter of the week: Emily Arnold (ETSU), Katie Murphy (Furman), Corinne Meglic (Samford) and Hannah Price (Western Carolina).
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
Oct. 28 Nicole Mack, R-Jr., OH, Furman
Nov. 4 Lauren Hatch, Fr., OH, ETSU
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
Oct. 28 Meagan Sanchez, Sr., LIB, Western Carolina
Nov. 4 Riley Coonan, Jr., MB, Wofford
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
Oct. 28 Hannah Price, Jr., Western Carolina
Nov. 4 Lorissa King, Sr., Wofford
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