Koch, Groth Named Volleyball Players of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State senior Kara Koch has been named Horizon League Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while Green Bay senior Brittany Groth has earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for the period of Sept. 17-23.

Koch, from West Salem, Ohio, earned her second Offensive Player of the Week nod of the season after recording two double-doubles last week for Cleveland State. She started the weekend with a 19-kill, 24-dig performance in CSU’s 3-1 win over Green Bay. She had 17 kills and 10 digs in the Vikings’ 3-0 win over Milwaukee on Saturday. Cleveland State’s win on Saturday night snapped the Panthers’ 26-match conference winning streak.

The Vikings (10-5, 2-0) are back in action this weekend when they host Loyola (9-6, 1-1) on Friday and UIC (8-8, 2-0) on Saturday.

Groth, from Oak Creek Wis., averaged 6.9 digs per set last weekend for Green Bay. She had 31 digs in the Phoenix’s four-set loss to Cleveland State on Friday and 31 digs in GB’s five-set win over Youngstown State on Saturday. For the season, Groth’s average of 5.96 digs per set leads the Horizon League and ranks third in NCAA Division I.

The Phoenix (8-6, 1-1) play one match this week, traveling south to Milwaukee to face the Panthers (6-9, 1-1) on Friday night.

Other Top Performers for the Week:
Anna Eytchison, Loyola (Sr., OH) - Eytchison had 41 kills (5.12 per set) as the Ramblers split their first two conference matches of the season. She had a career-high 28 kills, hitting at a .510 clip (28-3-49) in Loyola’s four-set win over Wright State. Her 28 kills are the third-most in school history in the rally scoring era and tops since the change to the current 25-point format.

Leah Van Zeeland, Green Bay (Jr., RS) - Van Zeeland had a season-high 18 kills and career-highs in digs (21) and blocks (8) in Green Bay’s 3-2 win over Youngstown State on Saturday. She had 15 kills and 16 digs against Cleveland State on Friday.

Morgan Beil, Valparaiso (So., MH/RS) - Beil had a career-high 18 kills on a .417 hitting percentage in Valparaiso’s 3-1 win over Loyola on Saturday as the Crusaders evened their conference record at 1-1.

Jenna Cavanaugh, Youngstown State (Jr., MB) - Cavanaugh posted 25 kills and just three errors in 56 total attempts against Milwaukee and Green Bay last weekend. She had 19 kills against just two errors in 36 attempts (.472 hitting percentage) in YSU’s 3-2 loss to Green Bay on Saturday.

Julie Kolinske, Milwaukee (So., OH) - Kolinske averaged 4.57 kills and 3.43 digs in UWM’s first two League matches. She tallied 19 kills and 16 digs in UWM’s 3-1 win over Youngstown State on Friday. It was her 13th double-double of the season. She had 13 kills and eight digs in Milwaukee’s loss to Cleveland State on Saturday.

MaryKate Imrie, UIC (Jr., S) - Imrie had two double-doubles last week in helping the Flames get off to a 2-0 conference start. She had 50 assists and 12 digs against Valparaiso and 55 assists and 15 digs versus Wright State.

Maggie Strus, UIC (So., DS) - Strus averaged 5.88 digs per set in UIC”s two victories last week. She had a match-high 25 digs against Valparaiso and had 22 digs, also a match-high, versus Wright State.

Amanda Medvetz, Cleveland State (Sr., L) - Medvetz had 28 digs, her third 20+-dig match of the season, in the Vikings 3-1 at Green Bay. She had a team-leading 15 digs in CSU’s win over Milwaukee on Saturday.

Stephanie Kinane, Loyola(Fr., L) - Kinane averaged 5.38 digs per set for the Ramblers last weekend. She had 19 digs in Loyola’s win over Wright State and a match-high 24 digs in LU’s four-set loss to Valparaiso.

Ellen Vanden Berg, Valparaiso (Jr., MH) - Vanden Berg averaged more than a block a set this weekend for the Crusaders. She had seven blocks in four sets in Valpo’s win over Loyola on Saturday. She also posted 12 kills on a .417 hitting percentage against the Ramblers.

Alexis Egler, Youngstown State (So., OH) - Egler averaged a team-best 4.0 digs per set in Penguins’ two matches last week. She posted 14 digs at UWM and a career-best 22 digs at Green Bay. She also had 15 kills against the Phoenix on Saturday.