Photo by: Josh Liddick
Poole, Wright earn All-Patriot League second team recognition
11/13/2018 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Lehigh volleyball season may have come to an end, but the team was still recognized through the Patriot League's year-end awards, given out to individual players on Tuesday.
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Junior Emily Poole and sophomore Hannah Wright were both recognized with All-Patriot League Second Team honors for their performances and contributions to the Mountain Hawks for the 2018 season.
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Poole had a breakout season for Lehigh, leading the Patriot League in blocks (127) and tied for the Patriot League-lead in the blocks per set (1.17). Poole also had the third-highest hitting percentage in the league with a .315 mark, leading her Mountain Hawk teammates in that category for the majority of the season.
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Her leadership and determination all season long put the team in a position to succeed and have one of the program's more successful regular seasons in recent memory.
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"Coming into this season, it was a fresh slate for everyone," said head coach Alexa Keckler. "Emily was so crucial in a lot of the matches we played this season. Her vision at the net and her ability to be such a big presence early on was amazing and she continued to grow with that.
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"Emily has a good head on her shoulders, she's an amazing team player, she works hard, she does everything to the best of her ability, she's open and she's a coachable kid. I think all of those things combined have allowed her to come out of her shell a little bit and blossom into the player she has become."
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Like Poole, Wright also had a season in which she came out of nowhere and contributed to the welfare of the team at such a high level. With the loss of junior right-side hitter Ana Spangenberg to a season-ending injury in the early stages of the season, Wright stepped up in her position and delivered.
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Wright finished the season with 283 kills and a .183 hitting percentage in 99 sets played. She also added 161 digs and 75 blocks with 21 service aces. She was also named Patriot League Player of the Week one time this season for her efforts.
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Usually an outside hitter, Wright had to change her game a little bit to become a right-side hitter and really solidified that position in Ana's absence, making her deserving of the second-team honors.
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"I always knew Hannah would be able to do what she did this season," said Keckler. "She stepped into that role and didn't waver. She just did everything that she could do, took feedback and I also think that Ana was a huge motivator and huge help for her.
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"She took her under her wing and helped her out, but I think Hannah just went in and did the job and I'm super proud her work ethic and how her confidence has been boosted and she's honestly just a great kid. Both Emily and Hannah are very deserving of these honors and I'm excited for what the future holds for both of them."
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This is the second year in a row for members of the Lehigh volleyball team to receive All-Patriot League recognition. Spangenberg was named to the first team in 2017, while Lauren Bright was a second-team honoree.
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Like Lehigh Volleyball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
2018 Patriot League Volleyball All-Patriot League Teams and Major Awards
Player of the Year:Â Aleksandra Kazala, American, Sr., OH
Setter of the Year:Â Patricia Mattingly, Navy, Sr., S
Libero of the Year:Â Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Fr., L
Rookie of the Year:Â Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Fr., L
Coach of the Year: Alija Pittenger, Loyola Maryland
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All-Patriot League First Team
Aleksandra Kazala, American, Sr., OH
Helena Elbaek, American, So., Opp.
Alex Stein, Colgate, Jr., OH
Ann Ernst, Loyola Maryland, Jr., OH
Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Fr., L
Patricia Mattingly, Navy, Sr., S
Maddi Sgattoni, Navy, So., OH
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All-Patriot League Second Team
Loren McKenzie, American, GS, MB
Kennedy Etheridge, American, Sr., S
Courtney Horace, Army West Point, Jr., OH
Alli Lowe, Colgate, So., OH
Emily Poole, Lehigh, Jr., MB
Hannah Wright, Lehigh, So., RS
Katie Patrick, Navy, Sr., MH
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Junior Emily Poole and sophomore Hannah Wright were both recognized with All-Patriot League Second Team honors for their performances and contributions to the Mountain Hawks for the 2018 season.
Â
Poole had a breakout season for Lehigh, leading the Patriot League in blocks (127) and tied for the Patriot League-lead in the blocks per set (1.17). Poole also had the third-highest hitting percentage in the league with a .315 mark, leading her Mountain Hawk teammates in that category for the majority of the season.
Â
Her leadership and determination all season long put the team in a position to succeed and have one of the program's more successful regular seasons in recent memory.
Â
"Coming into this season, it was a fresh slate for everyone," said head coach Alexa Keckler. "Emily was so crucial in a lot of the matches we played this season. Her vision at the net and her ability to be such a big presence early on was amazing and she continued to grow with that.
Â
"Emily has a good head on her shoulders, she's an amazing team player, she works hard, she does everything to the best of her ability, she's open and she's a coachable kid. I think all of those things combined have allowed her to come out of her shell a little bit and blossom into the player she has become."
Â
Like Poole, Wright also had a season in which she came out of nowhere and contributed to the welfare of the team at such a high level. With the loss of junior right-side hitter Ana Spangenberg to a season-ending injury in the early stages of the season, Wright stepped up in her position and delivered.
Â
Wright finished the season with 283 kills and a .183 hitting percentage in 99 sets played. She also added 161 digs and 75 blocks with 21 service aces. She was also named Patriot League Player of the Week one time this season for her efforts.
Â
Usually an outside hitter, Wright had to change her game a little bit to become a right-side hitter and really solidified that position in Ana's absence, making her deserving of the second-team honors.
Â
"I always knew Hannah would be able to do what she did this season," said Keckler. "She stepped into that role and didn't waver. She just did everything that she could do, took feedback and I also think that Ana was a huge motivator and huge help for her.
Â
"She took her under her wing and helped her out, but I think Hannah just went in and did the job and I'm super proud her work ethic and how her confidence has been boosted and she's honestly just a great kid. Both Emily and Hannah are very deserving of these honors and I'm excited for what the future holds for both of them."
Â
This is the second year in a row for members of the Lehigh volleyball team to receive All-Patriot League recognition. Spangenberg was named to the first team in 2017, while Lauren Bright was a second-team honoree.
Â
Like Lehigh Volleyball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
2018 Patriot League Volleyball All-Patriot League Teams and Major Awards
Player of the Year:Â Aleksandra Kazala, American, Sr., OH
Setter of the Year:Â Patricia Mattingly, Navy, Sr., S
Libero of the Year:Â Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Fr., L
Rookie of the Year:Â Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Fr., L
Coach of the Year: Alija Pittenger, Loyola Maryland
Â
All-Patriot League First Team
Aleksandra Kazala, American, Sr., OH
Helena Elbaek, American, So., Opp.
Alex Stein, Colgate, Jr., OH
Ann Ernst, Loyola Maryland, Jr., OH
Katie Forsythe, Loyola Maryland, Fr., L
Patricia Mattingly, Navy, Sr., S
Maddi Sgattoni, Navy, So., OH
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All-Patriot League Second Team
Loren McKenzie, American, GS, MB
Kennedy Etheridge, American, Sr., S
Courtney Horace, Army West Point, Jr., OH
Alli Lowe, Colgate, So., OH
Emily Poole, Lehigh, Jr., MB
Hannah Wright, Lehigh, So., RS
Katie Patrick, Navy, Sr., MH
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Players Mentioned
MB
/ Volleyball
MB
/ Volleyball
RS
/ Volleyball
OH
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