INDIANAPOLIS -- Milwaukee sophomore Kayla Price has been named Horizon League Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, while Youngstown State senior Jenna Cavanaugh has earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for the period of Oct. 21-27.
Price, a sophomore from Hoffman Estates, Ill., averaged 12.5 assists per set for the Panthers last week as they recorded a pair of road sweeps. UWM’s offense hit .348 in the two matches and averaged nearly 16 kills per set. The 2011 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year had 39 assists on Saturday as the Panthers hit a season-best .409 - best hitting percentage for UWM since 2009 against Alcorn State - in their 3-0 win over Oakland. In the match against the Golden Grizzlies, Price helped senior Rachel Neuberger set a UWM program record as Neuberger hit .846 (11-0-13).
Price’s big weekend helped move her past Emily Riese of Green Bay into first in the League in assists per set. Price now averages 10.68 assists per set on the season, while Riese averaged 10.64 per set. In nine Horizon League matches this season, Price is averaging 12.31 assists per set.
Milwaukee (13-8, 9-0) looks to remain undefeated in League play this week as it hosts second-place Valparaiso (20-4, 7-1) on Friday and UIC (7-16, 2-6) on Saturday.
Cavanaugh, a senior from Cold Spring, Ky., had 12 blocks, including three solo, in helping YSU hold off Cleveland State, 3-2, on Friday night. The win marked YSU’s first win over the Vikings in Cleveland since 1998. Cavanaugh’s 12 blocks were the most in a League match this season and were also one shy of her school record for a five-set match.
Cavanaugh, the preseason Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, is leading the Horizon League in blocks this season with a 1.47 blocks per set average.
Youngstown State (13-10, 5-3) currently sits in third place in the League standings and have two matches on the schedule for the coming week. The Penguins host Wright State (6-21, 0-9) on Friday and Oakland (10-14, 4-5) on Saturday.
Other Top Performers for the Week:
Jillian Bauer, Green Bay (So., L) - Bauer had a team-high 22 digs and two aces in GB’s comeback win at Wright State. She tallied a match-high 26 digs and five assists at Oakland.
Melissa Deatsch, Oakland (Fr., OH) - Deatsch broke the Oakland school record for single season aces on Friday as she recorded seven in the win over Green Bay. She now has 45 on the season.
Sarah Dooms, Valparaiso (Sr., OH) - Dooms led the Crusaders with 15 kills in their win at MVC leader Illinois State on Tuesday. On Saturday, she had a match-high 11 kills and hit .385 in Valpo’s sweep of UIC. She has led Valpo in kills in five straight matches.
Alexis Egler, Youngstown State (Jr., OH) - Egler recorded her first double-double in League play and ninth of the season with 13 kills and 17 digs in YSU’s 3-2 at Cleveland State.
Taylor Golabowski, Milwaukee (Jr., L) - Golabowski averaged 4.67 digs per set last week for the Panthers. She had 13 in a three-set win over Wright State and 15 in three sets at Oakland.
Shannon Hurley, Green Bay (Fr., OH) - Hurley had a match-high 17 kills in a 3-2 win over Wright State. She recorded her second career double-double with 17 kills and 13 digs at Oakland.
Molly McCoy, UIC (Jr., OH) - McCoy had nine kills against Valparaiso, including seven in the third set.
Cassie Pelloni, Oakland (So., OH) - Pelloni earned double-digit kills in both Horizon League contests this past weekend.
Maggie Strus, UIC (Jr., DS) - Strus had a match-high nine digs against Valparaiso. She is 79 digs shy of entering the program’s top-10 in career digs.
Ellen Vanden Berg, Valparaiso (Sr., MH) - Vanden Berg averaged 2.14 blocks per set last week in a pair of Crusader wins. She had eight blocks in the win at MVC leader Illinois State and seven blocks in Valpo’s sweep of UIC.
Horizon League Offensive Players of the Week:
Aug. 26 - Sarah Dooms, Valparaiso
Sept. 2 - Leah Van Zeeland, Green Bay
Sept. 9 - Grace Kauth, Cleveland State
Sept. 16 - Maggie Hannon, Cleveland State
Sept. 23 - Missy Hundelt, Youngstown State
Sept. 30 - Cassie Pelloni, Oakland
Oct. 7 - Sara Sternard, UIC
Oct. 14 - Rachel Neuberger, Milwaukee
Oct. 21 - Kayla Price, Milwaukee
Horizon League Defensive Players of the Week:
Aug. 26 - Katie Mroczenski, Green Bay
Sept. 2 - Kelsey Victor, Valparaiso
Sept. 9 - Nikki Holmes, Cleveland State
Sept. 16 - Aly Ryan, Youngstown State
Sept. 23 - Rachel Neuberger, Milwaukee
Sept. 30 - Taylor Golabowski, Milwaukee
Oct. 7 - Erika West, Youngstown State
Oct. 14 - Ellen Vanden Berg, Valparaiso
Oct. 21 - Jenna Cavanaugh, Youngstown State
