Burlington's Eden Punch is NCAA SoCon volleyball player of the week

Burlington’s Eden Punch was named the Southern Conference volleyball defensive player of the week after leading the Western Carolina University Catamounts to road victories over the top two teams in the conference.

Punch, a senior middle blocker, came through with five blocks and six kills as the Catamounts defeated The Citadel in five sets Saturday Oct. 28). The Citadel came into the match with a 23-0 record, riding the longest winning streak in NCAA Division I volleyball.

Punch also had six kills and a team-high five blocks in a five-set victory over Mercer on Thursday.

The Dr. Frank Hayden Secondary graduate ranks second in the conference with 79 blocks, including 43 in league play, which ranks fourth. She has 271 blocks for her career, ranking her 13th on the Catamounts' all-time list. Ten more will move her inside the top 10 in program history.

Prior to Western Carolina, Punch won three provincial and two Canadian championships with the Halton Hurricanes.