BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - Senior libero Tara Beilsmith was named the Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the second-straight week, the league announced Monday. 
 
For Beilsmith, it is her league-leading fifth OVC Defensive Player of the Week award out of seven weeks this season.
 
Beilsmith paced Southeast Missouri women's volleyball defensively with 56 total digs (9.33 digs/set) and five assists (0.83 assists/set) this past weekend in its home series with OVC leader Eastern Illinois Oct. 7-8. 
 
Beilsmith averaged a whopping 9.33 digs per set over SEMO's two matches with Eastern Illinois. 
 
She grabbed a match-best 28 digs in each of the two matches with the Panthers. In the past five matches, Beilsmith has tallied 25 or more digs, anchoring the Redhawks back row. 
 
She ranks first in the OVC and fourth in the NCAA with 6.16 digs per set (413 total digs) in 2022. In league competition, Beilsmith is averaging 7.38 digs per set (155 digs), which also paces the conference.
 
For Beilsmith, a Weldon Spring, Missouri, native, the OVC honor is her 11th career weekly laurel and 10th career Defensive Player of the Week. 
 
The Redhawks host travel partner and OVC newcomer Little Rock Monday evening for their home-and-home series opener. First service is set for 6 p.m., CT at Houck Field House.