SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Junior goalkeeper Katie Merson picked up SoCon Women’s Soccer Player of the Week honors on Tuesday morning. The Eagle keeper did not allow a goal while making 10 combined saves in two matches last weekend against North Florida and Jacksonville.
    Merson is the first Eagle to pick up the SoCon weekly award since Ashley Toussaint earned the honor on Oct. 3, 2006.

Eagles dominate Mercer in first home match
    Moriah Bellissimo posted 13 kills and 15 digs to lead Georgia Southern to a 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-21) volleyball victory over Mercer Tuesday night in Hanner Fieldhouse.
    It was the home opener for the Eagles (5-2), who also got 12 kills and three blocks from Meredith Paskert. Kate Van Dyke, who was honored before the game for breaking the school career record in assists, notched a match-high 41 helpers, and Alexandra Beecher posted 22 digs.
    Enjoli Johnson added eight kills.
    Jamie Duffey led Mercer (2-2) with seven kills to go along with 21 digs, and Molly Locke logged seven kills and 10 digs. Emily Rochefort
collected 18 digs.

SEB tops Calvary
    SAVANNAH — The Southeast Bulloch Lady Yellow Jackets fell into an early, 5-0 hole against Calvary Day, but a six-run third propelled SEB to a 7-6 win on the Road Tuesday.
    The Jackets (6-3, 2-0 Region 1A-AAA) were led by Lindsey Crosby (3-for-3, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs), Sierra Peebles (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, GG) and Cierra Clarl (2-for-4, R).
    Southeast Bulloch returns to Savannah Thursday to face Islands at 4:30 p.m.

Beecher given SoCon honors
    SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Georgia Southern volleyball defensive specialist Alexandra Beecher  has been named Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week for matches played Aug. 27-Sept. 2, the league announced Wednesday.
    Beecher averaged 5.36 digs per set in a 2-1 week for the Eagles. The freshman also added eight assists, two kills and three service aces.
    Beecher, who has played in all 23 sets this season, leads Georgia Southern with 104 digs and is averaging 4.52 a set.

BA, TCS runners finish in Top 10
    TWIN CITY, Ga. – Several local runners finished in the Top 10 in a huge cross-country meet at George L. Smith State Park Tuesday.
    In the 73-runner, 11-team varsity boys’ race, Trinity Christian of Statesboro’s Gunther Griffin finished eighth with a 21:29 while Bulloch Academy junior Bill Sheppard was ninth with a 21:36.
    BA sophomore Heather Jacobs was the top Lady Gator runner, taking eighth in the 42-runner varsity girls’ race with a 26:01.
    In junior varsity boys’ action, TCS of Statesboro’s Christian Scott was third in the 56-runner race, clocking a 12:45. BA’s Kyle Samuels finished eighth in the boys’ 1.8-miler with a 13:30. In junior varsity girls’ action, TCS of Statesboro’s Lexie Anderson was eighth with a 15:30.
    In elementary girls’ individual action, BA’s Liv Finley was second in the 28-girl race, clocking a 17:35 in the 1.8-mile race. Katherine Thomas was third (18:42), Brittney Potter was fourth (19:11) and Katie Cowart was fifth (19:22).  In elementary boys’ individual action, Bulloch’s Caleb Futch was fourth, finishing with a 17:20 in the 26-runner race. Rodney Thomas was ninth (18:50).

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