Andrew Anastasio – Sports Writer –
Junior Lauren McVey, an outside hitter for Southern Volleyball is enjoying her best college season. Through the first 17 games, McVey is second on the team with 187 kills and 206 digs. She has also tallied nine double-double performances – most notably her game against Caldwell College where McVey recorded 22 kills and 28 digs.
Being on the same page with her teammates is what McVey said enables her to cover so much ground.
“It’s a lot of communication with my other teammates,” McVey said. “Especially with Vanessa [Sullivan], and when we play next to each other. It’s definitely a lot of who’s calling the ball and where we are on the court that is very important. Also, reading the hitters that are hitting. Therefore, I’m able to get in the correct position, but it stems from communication.”
Last week, McVey was selected as the Northeast-10 Molten Player of the Week for her performances against College of Saint Rose, Caldwell College and the University of the Sciences. In those three games, McVey posted an average of 3.94 kills and digs per set.
“I was very surprised about my selection,” McVey said. “I really don’t ever pay attention to that stuff, but now that I have won, I’m a little shocked by it.”
Junior setter Kimberly Lachowicz said McVey’s skill set is what enables her to be so productive during games.
“She brings a certain energy to the court,” Lachowicz said. “She’s a great all-around player. Her knowledge of the game is definitely her strong suit, and that’s what she brings to the court. That’s why she’s received so many awards lately.”
A native of Baldwinsville, N.Y., McVey played high school volleyball at C.W. Baker High School. There, she was a part of two regional and three league championship teams. Her performance in high school earned her a selection to the first-team All-State.
In her freshman season at Southern, McVey played in 94 sets for the Owls, and finished third on the team in kills with 200, and third in digs with 229. McVey said she came to Southern in 2010 not just for athletics but for the academics as well.
“I was torn between Southern and Le Moyne College,” McVey said. “I came here for volleyball, but I also heard about the nursing program here which I was told was very good, so I’m hoping to get into that.”
Against Assumption College last week, McVey left the game with an ankle injury.
“At this point I’m unsure as to what’s really wrong with it,” McVey said. “I was told once the swelling goes down the trainers will be able to see more, but right now they think it’s an ankle sprain.”
With her return to the team still uncertain, head coach Lisa Barbaro said she’s hoping to get one of her starting outside hitters back to the action quickly.
“She’s been very dominant for us in the past week or so,” Barbaro said. “It’s a big injury, and we’re hoping to get her back as healthy and as soon as possible.”
McVey said she wants to work on building better teamwork when she returns to the court.
“When I return, my goal for the rest of the season is to focus on the team aspect of playing, and playing with each other,” McVey said. “Not so much individualized but more as a team, and hopefully we can accomplish a lot together as a team, as opposed to specific individuals on the court.”