Despite having 36 career double-doubles under her belt, senior outside hitter Reynae Hutchinson of the Eastern volleyball team earned her first career Ohio Valley Conference weekly award this past week.

Hutchinson was named the OVC Offensive Player of the Week.

“I can’t emphasize enough that without the rest of the team playing well, this would not be possible,” Hutchinson said in a press release. “This is such an honor, but I definitely couldn’t do it without the team.”

The Mattoon native registered consecutive double-doubles in wins over Austin Peay and Murray State last weekend.

Hutchinson notched a season-high 22-kill, 11-dig performance in the five-set comeback win against Austin Peay Friday.

“It says a lot about our team character that we can come back from a 0-2 deficit and win against Austin Peay,” she said. “Speaking on behalf of the team, while I am proud of that comeback, we definitely do not want to be in that situation again, yet we’ll take the two wins.”

Hutchinson then recorded 14 kills and 17 digs while leading Eastern to a four-set victory over Murray State. She now is first in the OVC in kills per set during conference play. Her 3.94 kills per set is .21 more than any other player.

“These awards do not come without team success, so it is a reflection on not only (Hutchinson’s) playing, but our team as well,” Eastern coach Kate Price said. “I am extremely happy for her and I could not think of a player more deserving.”

Hutchinson currently ranks eighth on the all-time Eastern list with 1,143 kills. She is 96 digs away from joining the 1,000-dig club. Hutchinson would be just the 12th player in Eastern volleyball history to enter both clubs.

Climbing OVC ranks

After a weekend sweep of Austin Peay and Murray State, the Eastern volleyball team moved to the No. 3 overall spot in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Panthers are 11-10 overall and 5-3 in conference. They trail only Morehead State, 8-0 in the OVC, a team that already beat Eastern, and Austin Peay, which, despite the five-set loss to Eastern, is 6-2 in the OVC.

Eastern has not finished with a conference record above .500 since 2005. Its 8-8 conference record last season, when it lost in the first round of the OVC tournament, is its best in the last eight years. The Panthers had a 12-5 OVC record in 2005.

The Panthers’ 5-3 conference record has them in position to end the eight-year streak, as they were not above .500 at all during conference last season.

Weekly awards

Belmont took the other two OVC weekly awards this week.

Libero Jen Myer earned Defensive Player of the Week. She recorded 47 digs and three blocks as the Bruins went 2-0 last week.

The New Braunfels, Texas native posted a career-high 30 digs against Southeast Missouri. Myer also led Belmont with 24 kills and three service aces last week.

Setter Hannah Miranda dished out 91 assists to guide the Bruins to a .277 hit percentage last week.

Miranda nabbed 11 kills behind a .346attack with 25 digs and three blocks in two matches.

She is second in the OVC with 10.26 assists per set, behind Eastern setter Marah Bradbury’s 10.79 assists per set.

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.