Redhawks volleyball senior libero Tara Beilsmith is currently the nation leader in digs. This week, she was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the third-straight week.
For Beilsmith, it is her league-leading sixth OVC Defensive Player of the Week award out of eight weeks this season, as she continues to dominate defensively for the Redhawks.
Last week, Beilsmith led SEMO with 66 digs and 18 assists (1.80 assists/set) as SEMO went 3-0 this past week with a home win over Little Rock and a series sweep of Southern Indiana. She averaged 6.60 digs per set over the three-match week.
Beilsmith opened the week with 25 digs and seven assists in the Monday meeting with Little Rock on Oct. 10.
She then grabbed 19 digs with six assists in the opener with Southern Indiana on Oct. 14 before wrapping the series with 22 digs and five assists in the finale on Oct. 15.
Beilsmith has registered 20 or more digs in seven of the last eight Redhawk matches.
She ranks first overall in the NCAA and first in the OVC. Beilsmith is also first in the league and second in the nation digs per set.
For Beilsmith, a Weldon Spring, Missouri, native, the OVC honor is her 12th career weekly laurel and 11th career Defensive Player of the Week.
The Redhawks play at home this weekend as they host Tennessee Tech Friday and Saturday at Houck Field House in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Match times are set for 6 p.m., CT and 2 p.m.
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