LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Colorado College freshman outside hitter Abbe Holtze and sophomore libero Sophie Merrifield have been named SCAC Volleyball Players-of-the-Week for week three of the season.
SCAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Games of September 9 – September 15
Holtze averaged 4.27 points and 3.69 kills per set to help No. 14 Colorado College win all four of its matches at the 2013 Associated College of the Midwest Tournament this past weekend. Holtze hit .352 (48 kills-10 errors-108 total attempts) for the weekend and was named to the all-tournament team for the third weekend in a row. She recorded a pair of double-doubles, giving her three for the season.
Holtze posted 14 kills and 10 digs in the three-set victory over St. Olaf College and recorded 12 kills and a season-high 20 digs in Sunday's sweep of Lawrence University to lead the Tigers to their best start since 1985.
Other outstanding performances in the SCAC:
Senior outside hitter Shelby Eaves of Austin College had another big weekend for Austin College, averaging 4.44 kills and 3.31 digs per set. Junior right side hitter Emily Caple of Dallas had 24 kills and 25 assists on the weekend. Senior middle hitter Veronica Castillo of Schreiner had 19 kills, only four errors for .357 attack percentage including 11 kills vs. Concordia. Sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn Foster of Southwestern led the Pirates in kills with 44, averaging 2.59 per set, and also had a team high eight aces and was second in digs with 69. Senior setter Manda Martin of Texas Lutheran finished the weekend with 54 assists and 40 digs over two matches. She led the team in assists and was second in digs. She also chipped in with seven kills, two aces and one block over the weekend. Sophomore outside hitter Megan Reynolds of Trinity hit a staggering .340 for the weekend, picking up 26 kills (2.60/set) and committing just eight errors in 53 attacks and also added 11 digs and five blocks in her 10 sets played. Centenary did not nominate anyone.
SCAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Games of September 9 – September 15
Merrifield averaged 5.38 digs per set as No. 14 Colorado College rolled to four decisive victories at the 2013 Associated College of the Midwest Tournament last weekend. She led the Tigers in digs during all four matches, including the sweep of Lawrence University in the tournament finale when she finished with 21.
It marked the fourth time this season she has recorded 20 or more in a match. Merrifield did not commit a reception error in any of the 13 sets. She also added five service aces. She leads the Tigers averaging 5.44 digs per set.
Other outstanding performances in the SCAC:
Sophomore defensive specialist Rachel Fusselman of Austin College put together her strongest week of the season at the Rhodes Invitational, totaling 82 digs for an average of 5.12 per set with only five reception errors in four matches. Freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Jessie Koster of Dallas totaled 4- digs including four aces on the weekend. Senior libero Jamie Burns of Schreiner had 26 digs and two service aces for Schreiner with a 14 dig and one service ace performance against Concordia. Junior defensive specialist/libero Chandler Lentz of Southwestern had a team high 88 digs on the weekend, averaging 5.18 digs/set. She also added in six aces, and nine assists. Freshman middle blocker Mackenzie Benson of Texas Lutheran finished with nine total blocks (one solo, eight assisted) while also notching four digs and 10 kills. Sophomore defensive specialist Shannon Courtney of Trinity defensive efforts from her libero position, picking up a team-best 54 digs over the weekend and averaged 4.50 digs/set, playing in 12 of the team's 13 sets over the two-day event. Courtney also tallied 11 assists for the Tigers. Centenary did not nominate anyone.
To view the entire SCAC Spike Weekly for week two, click here.
