NEW ORLEANS — Hasani Salaam became the eighth Xavier University of Louisiana volleyball player of 2017 to earn a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference weekly award when she was chosen Defender of the Week for Oct. 30-Nov. 5.The Gold Nuggets swept the awards for the third consecutive week and the seventh time in 11 opportunities this season. Juliana Tomasoni is Attacker of the Week, and Tiffany Phillips is Setter of the Week.
Salaam, a sophomore from New Orleans and a graduate of Lusher Charter School, had a combined seven blocks in victories at city rivals Loyola and Dillard. Salaam had a career-high-tying five blocks against Dillard and was part of a defensive effort that limited the Lady Bleu Devils to a minus-.094 hitting percentage.
Tomasoni, a senior from Nova Trento, Brazil, hit .308 for the week with 20 kills, 30 digs, four aces and two blocks. She extended her streak of consecutive matches without a reception error to 13, which includes 212 total chances. Against Loyola she produced her 13th double-double of the season, 13 kills and a season-high 20 digs.
Phillips, a sophomore from Gardena, Calif., and a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High School, produced 31 assists, 17 digs and nine aces. Phillips served seven aces against Dillard — the most in a match by a XULA player in three years — and produced her ninth double-double of the year, 12 assists and 11 digs.
Against Dillard, XULA became the first Louisiana or GCAC school to complete regular-season conference play without losing a set.
The weekly awards are the first of Salaam's career, Tomasoni's third of the season and fifth of her career and Phillips's fourth of the season and 10th of her career. Phillips's career total is a XULA record for this sport.
The Gold Nuggets (21-2) will play at 3 p.m. Friday in the semifinals of the GCAC Tournament at SUNO. Their opponent will be the winner of a 9 a.m. match between SUNO and Edward Waters. The championship match will start at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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