PORTLAND, Ore. – For most athletes, being "in a groove" is all about offense, when everything is clicking.
 
For Seattle Pacific volleyball star Hannah Hair, it's about defense – and some offense, too.
 
 

The fifth-year middle blocker certainly was "in a groove" last week. She had a combined 16 total blocks in matches at Western Washington and Simon Fraser, and has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
 
This is Hair's first Player of the Week award this season and the ninth of her career, with seven of those on the defensive side.
 
Last Thursday at Western Washington, Hair had seven block assists, along with 13 kills on .458 hitting to help the Falcons roar back from two sets down to beat the Vikings, 3-2 (19-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 15-12). SPU was two points away from defeat, trailing by a 23-17 margin in the third set. But they stayed alive by running off eight straight points, and Hair had a hand in three of those: a combined block with Emily Tulino, a combined block with Coco Barnett, and a kill.
 
On Saturday at Simon Fraser, Hair had nine more blocks, including a season-high four solos, although Seattle Pacific ultimately fell short, 3-1. Hair also had nine more kills on .333 hitting.
 
Hair has 86 total blocks for the season (14 solos) and a 1.43 per-set average, both of which lead the GNAC. Her total ranks No. 4 in NCAA Division II (the leader is Kaylee Freund of Tiffin with 102, and her per-set average ranks No. 6 (the leader is Jada Suguturaga of Augusta at 1.56).
 
After playing 13 of their first 15 matches on the road, the Falcons have their next four at home, starting on Thursday when Western Oregon visits Brougham Pavilion at 7:00 p.m.


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