BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After helping lead a defense that held opponents to a combined .105 hitting percentage, LSU junior defensive specialist Haley Smith was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week the conference office announced today.
Smith becomes the first player since Meghan Mannari in 2012 to earn the league’s weekly top defensive award, as it is the first for the Meraux, Louisiana, native this season. She is the third LSU player to earn one of the SEC’s weekly awards this year, following Briana Holman who was named the SEC Player of the Week in September and Gina Tillis who was named the SEC Freshman of the Week in October.
In putting together one of her best defensive efforts of the season in the last two matches, Smith averaged 5.78 digs per set in matches against Tennessee and Mississippi State, with an 88 percent passer rating. Smith also served up three assists and had three service aces, earning two against the Bulldogs.
Against the Lady Vols, Smith earned her eighth 20-plus dig match on the year with 22, helping lead a defense that held Tennessee to a .052 hitting clip as they hit in the negatives in two of the four sets during the match in Baton Rouge. She did even better on Sunday on the road at MSU, corralling a career-high 30 as the Bulldogs finished with a .153 clip on the afternoon.
In nine total sets on the weekend, Smith earned seven or more in a single set, including having 10 in the third set alone against Tennessee.
The Tigers will be back in action on Friday night, hosting Missouri at 7 p.m. in Baton Rouge.
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