SOPHIE MERRIFIELD OF COLORADO COLLEGE, a senior defensive specialist from Fairfax, Ca. has been named SCAC Volleyball Defenseive Player-of-the-Week for matches played from Friday, September 11th through Saturday, September 12th. 

Merrifield helped lead Colorado College to a 4-0 record over the weekend and win the Colorado College Invitational. Merrifield anchored the backrow with 74 digs to lead the team and help the Tigers improve to a 9-0 record this season.

In the first day of action, Merrifield had nine digs in a sweep of Chapman University. She finished the day with a team-high 27 digs against No. 17 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to help earn a 3-1 victory. In the final day of action, the libero dug up a team-best 19 digs in a 3-0 win of Mary Hardin-Baylor. She finished the day leading the team with 19 digs in a sweep of Bluffton University. 

Other outstanding performances in the SCAC:
Junior defensive specialist Andie Alford of Southwestern University posted a team high 55 digs, averaging 4.23 digs per set as the Pirates went 3-1. She added in one service ace, four assists and one kill. Sophomore middle blocker Rebekah Bowden of Austin College had a strong weekend at the Austin College Invitational, totaling 16 blocks, including four solo blocks and averaging 1.23 blocks per set as the 'Roos went 2-2. Bowden added 2.0 kills per set and a .375 hitting percentage. Senior defensive specialist Shannon Courtney of Trinity University finished with a team-best 52 digs over the weekend, averaging 4.33 digs/set for the Tigers. She also fired in four service aces. Senior libero Megan Dugie of Texas Lutheran University amassed 23 digs in a three-set win over Sul Ross State and 19 more digs in a three-set victory against Concordia Texas. She average 7.0 digs per set. She also delivered six total assists and served four aces for the 6-0 Bulldogs. Junior libero Jessie Koster of the University of Dallas combined for 83 digs, and cracked the 20-mark in three of four matches for the Dallas volleyball team in a four-match tournament hosted by Austin College. Freshman defensive specialist Nihole West of Schreiner University helped lead the Mountaineers to their first victory of the season with 19 digs and an ace over Sul Ross State.