Irvine, Calif. - Kayla Varney (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta HS) collected UC Davis’ first Big West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week honor of
the season after guiding the Aggies to a 20 week that included an upset win over then-No. 23 UC Irvine and a sweep over UC Riverside.
Varneybecomes just the second Aggie to earn weekly accolades since UC Davis joined the Big West three years ago. Former teammate Renee Ibekwe
earned the school’s first honor back on Sept. 1, 2008.
On Friday, the junior outside hitter posted a double-double with a team-best 15 kills and 12 digs to lift UC Davis to a 3-1 victory over UC Irvine, putting
the Aggies in sole possession of first place atop the conference standings. The win also marked the program’s first-ever victory against a team
ranked in the AVCA Division I Top 25 poll.
The following night against UC Riverside, Varney tallied a match-high 18 digs with six kills and two blocks in UC Davis’ sweep over the Highlanders.
She scooped 10 of her 18 digs in the first set, helping UC Davis escape a late 15-17 deficit en route to a 25-19 win.
For the week she hit .269 and averaged 3.00 kills and 4.29 digs per set. The first-place UC Davis Aggies, riding a six-match win streak, returns to
action this weekend when it visits Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State.
Others nominated: Erin Saddler (Cal State Fullerton), Tonbara Youpele (UC Riverside), Dana Vargas (UC Santa Barbara), Mallori Gibson (Pacific)
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