Eytchison, Root Named Volleyball Players of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS -- Loyola senior Anna Eytchison has been named Horizon League Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while Valparaiso senior Taylor Root has earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for the period of Sept. 24-30

Eytchison, from Columbia, Ill., earned her second Offensive Player of the Week nod of the season after helping lead Loyola to two road victories last weekend. On Friday, the senior had 20 kills on a .410 hitting percentage, while also contributing five blocks, in the Ramblers sweep of Cleveland State. She followed up her performance on Saturday with 22 kills, hitting .364, and also added 10 digs in Loyola’s 3-1 win over Youngstown State.

For the weekend, Eytchison had 42 kills (6.00 kills per set) and a .386 hitting percentage.

The Ramblers (11-6, 3-1) are back in action this weekend when they host Milwaukee (7-9, 2-1) on Friday and Green Bay (9-7, 1-2) on Saturday.

Root, from Jenison, Mich., averaged 6.44 digs per set last weekend for Valparaiso. She had 27 digs in Valpo’s four-set loss to South Dakota State on Thursday. During the match, Root broke Valparaiso’s career digs record and now ranks among top-25 in NCAA history. On Friday, Root had 31 digs as the Crusaders came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Wright State, 3-2.

Valparaiso (10-8, 2-1) hosts Cleveland State (11-6, 3-1) on Friday and Youngstown State (11-7, 1-3) On Saturday.

Other Top Performers for the Week:
Julie Kolinske, Milwaukee (So., OH) - Kolinske tied her collegiate-high with 22 kills on Friday to lead the Panthers to a five-set win over Green Bay. She hit .360 in the win, adding six digs and three blocks.

Missy Hundelt, Youngstown State (Jr., RS) - Hundelt posted 34 kills and had an attack percent of .329 last weekend for the Penguins. She had 23 kills - against just one error - while adding 15 digs in YSU’s five-set win over UIC.

Carmen Leitermann, Green Bay (Sr., MB) - Leitermann had 15 kills, seven blocks and seven digs in GB’s comeback win over DePaul last week. She added 17 more kills on a .417 hitting percentage against Milwaukee.

Kara Koch, Cleveland State (Sr., OH) - Koch had 30 kills in the Vikings’ two matches last weekend and now ranks third all-time at CSU with 1,375 kills. She had 20 kills and 14 digs against UIC to post her eighth double-double of the season.

Jenna Cavanaugh, Youngstown State (Jr., MB) - Cavanaugh tied a school-record with 13 blocks vs. UIC. The 13 block assists were the most by a Horizon League player since Maddie Sueppel had 17 in 2009.

Anna Bartz, Milwaukee (Sr., L) - Bartz had a match-high 26 digs in UWM’s five-set win over Green Bay. It was the fourth match this season Bartz had 20+-digs.

Brittany Groth, Green Bay (Sr., L) - Groth led the Phoenix with 61 digs last week. She moved into second on the school’s all-time dig list with 38 digs at DePaul.