HOLY CROSS’ MEGAN LYNCH NAMED PATRIOT LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman volleyball player earns the honor for the second time
November 9, 2009
WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross freshman volleyball player Megan Lynch (Mendham, N.J.) has been named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week for her performances versus American (Nov. 6) and Navy (Nov. 7). She had a total of 30 kills and 4.29 kills per set on the week. This is the second time that she earned this honor.
On Friday at American, Lynch posted 15 kills and seven digs as the Crusaders fell to the Eagles by a score of 3-1. At Navy on Saturday, she had an outstanding .500 hitting percentage with 15 kills and only two errors on 26 attempts as the Crusaders defeated the Midshipmen, 3-0. She also recorded six digs.
Lynch has recorded double-digit kills 19 times this season, while her 349 kills rank fourth on the Holy Cross all-time single-season list and her 3.56 kills per set are fifth. She has either led the team or tied for the team-lead for kills 23 out of 27 matches this season. Lynch is also second around the Patriot League in kills and kills per set. She has also been impressive defensively this season as her 210 digs and 2.14 digs per set are second on the team.
The Crusaders (5-22, 3-9 Patriot League) return to action when they conclude the 2009 season with two matches at the Holy Cross Field House. On Friday, Nov. 13, the Crusaders will play Lehigh at 7:00 p.m., while on Saturday, Nov. 14, Holy Cross will meet Lafayette at 4:00 p.m.
For all the latest updates on the Holy Cross volleyball team or any other of the school's 26 varsity sports, log on to www.GoHolyCross.com.
Tulsa Volleyball’s Adams and Henderson Named C-USA Players of the Week
Henderson named Offensive Player of the Week and Adams get Defensive POW honor
TULSA, Okla. – The University of Tulsa volleyball freshmen Jessica Adams and Tyler Henderson were named Conference USA Defensive and Offensive Players of the week, respectively, the league office announced Monday.
The freshmen from Oklahoma City have combined to win seven conference player of the week honors this season – Adams has won four, and Henderson has won three. Adams totaled 50 digs in two road matches last weekend, averaging 5.56 digs per set. Henderson averaged 6.22 kills per set, totaling 56 kills, and hit a .322 attack percentage in the two matches.
“We are excited about how those kids have developed over the course of the season,” Tulsa Head Coach Ed Allen said. “We have leaned on those kids heavily this year … I think that they both stack up favorably at their respective positions with the rest of the conference.”
Adams, who ranks 25th in the nation with 5.06 digs per set, also added a pair of assists and a service ace last weekend. Against Southern Miss on Sunday, Adams matched her career-high of 30 digs (6.0 digs per set), set earlier this season. On Friday at UCF, she tallied 20 digs (5.00 digs per set) and served up an ace.
“Jess is a great ball control kid,” said Allen. “She has great leadership and we will rely heavily on that as she matures as a player.”
Henderson, who ranks 19th in the nation with 4.44 kills per set and 33rdnationally with 4.67 points per set, became the first C-USA player this season to record 30 kills in a match. She slammed a career-high 31 kills (6.20 kills per set) and tallied four blocks against Southern Miss on Sunday. Against UCF Friday, Henderson hit .420 on her way to 25 kills (6.25 kills per set) and three blocks. Henderson also totaled seven blocks (two solo, five assists) and 60.5 points (6.72 per set) in the two matches.
“Tyler is a player that we have leaned on all year,” Allen said. “She has gotten mentally tougher throughout the year, and understands the game better. We think that she will continue to rack up offensive awards as she develops in the future. She is one of the best offensive players in the conference.”
The Golden Hurricane plays a home-and-home series against SMU this week, playing host to the Mustangs at 7 p.m. Thursday, before the teams move to Dallas for a matchup at 7 p.m. Saturday. The team will honor its seniors before Thursday’s match.
Admission to all TU home matches is free. For all Tulsa volleyball news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane
-TulsaHurricane.com-
Felsing Earns League Defensive Player Of The Week Honors
Senior libero has led UWM to six-straight wins
MILWAUKEE - Lauren Felsing of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been
named the Horizon League Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week, the league
office announced today.
Felsing averaged 4.86 digs per set as UWM claimed wins over Wright State and
Cleveland state.
The senior libero led a defensive effort that limited the two opponents to a
.101 hitting clip, helping Milwaukee extend its winning streak to six
matches.
This marks the second time this season and the sixth time in her career
Felsing has been awarded the Horizon League honor.
Overall, Felsing has now passed 1,800 career digs, within striking distance
of all-time UWM and league leader Becky Peters, who tallied 1,875 in her
career. She has also reached double figures in digs in 50-straight matches
against league opponents. Plus, Felsing continues to lead the league in digs
per set in league contests.
Felsing and the Panthers wrap up the regular season with a pair of home
matches this weekend. UWM will face second-place Valparaiso Friday night
before squaring off with third-place Butler Saturday afternoon.
SMITH EARNS FOURTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
FRISCO, Texas - University of Central Arkansas junior volleyball player Chloe Smith was named the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season on Monday.
Smith, a right side hitter from San Diego, Calif., helped the Sugar Bears secure the Southland Conference regular season title by hitting .409 with 5.67 kills per set. In a sweep against McNeese State, she hit .452 with a team-high 18 kills and in a sweep over Stephen F. Austin, Smith hit .371 with 16 kills and 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season. She rank second at UCA with 1,233 career kills. Smith also has seventh most kills in a season in school history with 419.
Smith and the Sugar Bears will host Sam Houston State Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Prince Center.
Temple's Zhang Earns Atlantic 10 Volleyball Player of the Week Honor
Senior earns the honor for the second time this season
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – After leading the Temple volleyball team to a 2-0 week with impressive offensive numbers, senior Yun Yi Zhang has been named the Atlantic 10 Volleyball Player of the Week. The honor is the second this season for Zhang, who was the co-Player of the Week after the first weekend of play this season.
Zhang averaged 5.89 kills per set for the week, along with 1.22 digs per set. She knocked down a match-high 21 kills in a 3-1 win vs. La Salle, hitting .439 and tallying six digs.
For the second time this season, Zhang recorded more than 30 kills when she tallied a match-high 32 kills in a 3-2 win at Fordham. She kept her errors down yet again, hitting .426 in the match, and also recorded five digs, three blocks and two service aces.
With 1,546 kills in her career at Temple (just shy of three seasons), Zhang is fifth all-time. As of last week, she ranked second in NCAA Division I in kills per set at 5.29, and has now brought that average up to 5.36.
Bukowski and Felsing named Volleyball Players of the Week
Horizon League awards go to Valparaiso and Milwaukee seniors
INDIANAPOLIS – Valparaiso University senior Kim Bukowski has been named Horizon League Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee senior Lauren Felsing has earned Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors for the period of Nov. 2-8.
Bukowski, a setter from Waukesha, Wis., earns the award for the first time this season and second time in her career after handing out a League-best 12.67 assists per set last week.
Bukowski helped Valparaiso sweep the University of Illinois at Chicago on Friday and Loyola University Chicago on Saturday. Valpo has now won 12 of its last 14 matches.
Felsing, a libero from Hartland, Wis., earns the accolade for the second time this season and sixth time in her career after recording 4.86 digs per set last week.
Felsing helped Milwaukee post a 3-0 win over Wright State University on Friday and 3-1 victory over League-leading Cleveland State University on Saturday. UWM has now won six straight matches.
Bukowski and the Crusaders continue to lead the conference in kills (14.38) and assists per set (13.50) this season, while Felsing and the Panthers continue to pace the circuit in digs per set (17.22).
Valparaiso (20-8, 11-3) returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts Chicago State University at 8 p.m. ET. Milwaukee (11-14, 8-6) is back on the court Friday when it entertains Valpo at 8 p.m. ET.
Both student-athletes will become eligible for the Horizon League Network’s “People’s Choice” award, which is announced each Thursday afternoon. Log on towww.HorizonLeagueNetwork.tv to vote.
Other Horizon League top performers (Nov. 2-8)
Maureen Bamiro, Butler, Sophomore, MB -- 2-0 record, 10 SP, 11 BA, 12 TB
Maggie Bonomini, Cleveland State, Senior, L -- 1-1 record, 8 SP, 42 Digs
Laura Garrow, Green Bay, Sophomore, L -- 0-2 record, 9 SP, 45 Digs
Jena Berg, Milwaukee, Junior, OH -- 2-0 record, 7 SP, 28 K, 71 TA, .239 Pct, 32 Digs
Jenny Pokorny, Valparaiso, Senior, S -- 2-0 record, 6 SP, 26 Digs
Ruth Boscaljon, Youngstown State, Senior, MH -- 0-2 record, 7 SP, 24 K, 55 TA, .291 Pct
Ball State Women's Volleyball Junior Alyssa Rio Earns MAC Defensive Honor
MUNCIE, Ind. - - After helping lead the Cardinals to one of the most dominating defensive performances in program history, Ball State junior libero Alyssa Rio (Wayne, Ill./St. Francis H.S.) has been named the Mid-American Conference West Division Defensive Player of the Week. "It is great to see Alyssa performing so well after coming back from a serious injury in our season-opening match," said head coach Dave Boos. "She is at the top of her game and is gaining confidence with every match. She is a leader for this team, and with her getting back to top form, our defensive play and passing continues to get better." In last Sunday's three-set win over Central Michigan, Rio collected a match-high 19 digs to help limit the CMU attack to a season-low -.133 (21-36-113) hitting percentage. The mark was the lowest for a BSU opponent in the rally-scoring era, while the Chippewas -.412 (2-16-34) hitting percentage in the final set was the lowest single-set output for an opponent since rally scoring began. Rio opened the week with a match-best and season-high 34 digs versus Eastern Michigan. The 34 digs were the most for a BSU player since Rio scored 34 in the Nov. 1, 2007 match versus Toledo. Overall, Rio collected a team-best 53 digs in the two matches for a 6.62 digs-per-set average. In addition, she climbed to fourth in program history with 1,365 career digs. Rio, who missed 12 matches after suffering an injury in the season-opener versus Purdue, entered the week ranked second on the team with a 2.94 digs-per-set average, and after last week, is now the team-leader with a 3.47 average. Rio is the first Ball State player to earn the MAC's top weekly defensive honor this season. Junior Charde' Phillips (Elyria, Ohio/Elyria H.S.) and sophomore Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville H.S.) picked up MAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades Sept. 8 and Oct. 26, respectively. The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Thursday, when it hosts Toledo at 7 p.m. in a match that will be televised on the Ball State Sports Network.
