Press Release courtesy of the Southern Conference
Samford’s Taylor Anderton and ETSU’s Marija Popovic have been named Southern Conference volleyball offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for matches played Oct. 23-29, the conference office announced Monday. This is the second weekly award this season for both Anderton and Popovic.
Anderton, a setter, earns her second weekly honor this season after dishing out 106 assists in just nine sets over the weekend. Anderton started the weekend with 49 assists and chipped in eight digs in a five-set loss to UNCG. The junior then handed out a season-high 57 assists in a 3-1 win over Western Carolina, adding 10 digs to record a double-double in the contest. The Collierville, Tennessee, native averaged 11.78 assists per set and 2.00 digs per set as Samford improved to 6-6 in SoCon play. Anderton ranks sixth in the conference with an average of 9.00 assists per set and holds the top two positions in the conference for most assists in a four-set match, with both coming against Western Carolina.
Popovic, a libero, picks up her second consecutive weekly award following a 48-dig performance to help the Bucs go 2-0 over the weekend, including a 3-0 sweep of Furman to hand the Paladins their first league loss of the season. Popovic started the weekend with 20 digs and two assists against The Citadel as ETSU picked up a 3-1 win. The freshman then tallied 28 digs and four assists in the win over Furman, snapping the Paladins’ 10-game win streak. The Belgrade, Serbia, native finished the weekend with an average of 6.86 assists per set. Popovic currently ranks second in the conference with 4.69 digs per set.
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: AJ Lux (ETSU), Christen Sikora (Furman), Paige Alsten (Mercer), Ashley Muench (UNCG), Dani Szczepanksi (Chattanooga), Gabby Gray (Western Carolina) and Colleen Reilly (Wofford).
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Sarah Dobrich (The Citadel), Hunter Thompson (Furman), Anna Romaniszyn (UNCG), Kelsi Hobbs (Samford), Emily Plumlee (Chattanooga), Meagan Sanchez (Western Carolina) and Taylor Gill (Wofford).
2017 SoCon Volleyball Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 28 Ally Ford, R-So., OH, Chattanooga
Sept. 4 Catie Cronister, So., OH, Wofford
Sept. 11 Paige Alsten, Jr., MB, Mercer
Sept. 18 Taylor Anderton, Jr., S, Samford
Sept. 25 Rylee Milhorn, Sr., OH, ETSU
Oct. 2 Nicole Mack, So., OH, Furman
Oct. 9 Catie Cronister, So., OH, Wofford
Oct. 16 Ashley Muench, Sr., OH, UNCG
Oct. 23 Moriah Smith, Sr., OH, The Citadel
Oct. 30 Taylor Anderton, Jr., S, Samford
2017 SoCon Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 28 Megan Kaufman, Fr., DS/L, Chattanooga
Sept. 4 Christina Gregory, Jr., DS/L, UNCG
Sept. 11 Meg DeMaar, Sr., L, Furman
Sept. 18 Taylor Gill, Jr., L, Wofford
Sept. 25 Megan Kaufman, Fr., DS/L, Chattanooga
Oct. 2 Christina Gregory, Jr., DS/L, UNCG
Oct. 9 Meg DeMaar, Sr., L, Furman
Oct. 16 Braedyn Tutton, Jr., MB, ETSU
Oct. 23 Marija Popovic, Fr., Libero, ETSU
Oct. 30 Marija Popovic, Fr., Libero, ETSU
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