Hardeman and Boothe Earn Big South Weekly Honors
10/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Leah Hardeman was named the Choice Hotels Big South Volleyball Player of the Week, while Sara Boothe was tabbed the conference's Crons Brand Freshman of the Week, the league announced Monday. Each of the Chanticleer student-athletes is earning their respective award for the first time in their careers.
Coastal Carolina went unbeaten last week as the Chanticleers posted road shutouts at Radford on Friday, and Liberty on Saturday.
Hardeman paced Coastal's offense averaging 5.0 kills per set, while adding a .353 hitting percentage, 4.33 digs per set, three blocks and an ace. The sophomore outside hitter led the Chants with 31.5 points through the two matches, and her 19 kills and 13 digs at Liberty marked her eighth double-double of the season.
Boothe averaged 13.5 assists per set in the two victories, helping Coastal to a .361 team hitting percentage. The freshman setter started the week setting a career-high at Radford, tallying 42 of Coastal's 46 assists, before turning in a 39-assist performance at Liberty the next day. Boothe also added eight kills, a .500 hitting percentage, four blocks and an ace to her weekly total.
At the midway point of the Big South schedule, the Chants occupy first place in the conference standings at 15-4, 7-0. Coastal is currently riding an eight-match winning streak, its longest since the 2008 season.
Coastal's seven straight victories to open the conference schedule marks the second-best start in program history. The program record of 10 straight Big South wins to open the conference schedule was set in 1996.
The Chants have already set a program record this season, however, as they are the first Coastal team to lose just one set through their first seven matches against Big South opponents. Coastal has posted shutouts in each of its last four matches, and has totaled 11 on the season.
The Chanticleers will look to continue their various streaks this weekend as they host a pair of matches at The HTC Center. Coastal will welcome fifth-place Gardner-Webb (9-14, 3-3) for a 7 p.m. match on Friday before squaring off against fourth-place UNC Asheville (10-8, 3-3) in a 2 p.m. match on Saturday.
