UTAH STATE’S SORENSEN EARNS WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Utah State senior opposite hitter Shay Sorensen has been named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 15-21. This is her second WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and her career.
The North Ogden, Utah native averaged 4.18 kills, 3.36 digs and 1.09 blocks per set. Sorensen posted double-doubles in two of the three matches in helping the Aggies to a 2-1 record, including winning two on the road to give Utah State its first six-match road win streak since 1978. She started the week with 15 kills and 11 digs, along with four blocks in a five-set loss to UTSA last Monday. In Thursday’s five-set win at Idaho, Sorensen logged her team-leading 11th double-double of the season with 18 kills and tied a career-high with 17 digs to go along with five blocks. She then added 13 kills without posting any hitting errors for a .382 attack percentage to go with nine digs and three blocks in a sweep at Seattle U. Sorensen now has 801 career kills, becoming just the 11th player in school history to reach the 800-kill plateau.
Other nominees included: Faimie Kingsley of Denver averaged 2.62 kills and 2.00 blocks per set as the Pioneers went 2-0 on the week ... Idaho’s Katelyn Peterson averaged 3.33 kills and 1.11 digs last week ... Caitlin Germany of Louisiana Tech averaged 2.13 kills and 0.75 blocks per set ... New Mexico State’s Desiree Scott averaged 2.43 kills on .355 hitting and 1.14 blocks per set ... Lani Beadle of Seattle U averaged 6.83 digs and 0.67 service aces per set ... UT Arlington’s Shelby Dickson averaged 2.75 kills and 4.38 digs per set ... McKenzie Adams of UTSA averaged 4.5 kills, 2.75 digs and 1.00 blocks per set last week ... Texas State’s Caylin Mahoney averaged 1.88 kills on .389 hitting, 4.63 assists and 1.00 digs per set as the Bobcats went 1-1 on the week.
BAKER EXTENDS DOUBLE-DIGIT KILL STREAK TO 37 MATCHES
Idaho junior Allison (Walker) Baker has posted double-digit kills in 37 consecutive matches, dating back to Sept. 16, 2011. In her two-plus years as a Vandal, the outside hitter has had 10 or more kills in 68 of the 76 matches she has played, or 89 percent.
NEW MEXICO STATE RANKS NATIONALLY IN ATTENDANCE
New Mexico State currently ranks 22nd nationally in attendance with an average of 1,688 fans per match. The Aggies have ranked in the top 25 in attendance every year since joining the WAC in 2005. NM State’s highest ranking as a member of the WAC came in 2005, when the Aggies were 11th with an average attendance of 2,075.
KINGSLEY LEADS NATION IN BLOCKING
Denver senior middle blocker Faimie Kingsley currently leads the nation with 1.72 blocks per set. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native had 16 blocks in two matches last week and has tallied four or more blocks in 17 of 21 matches this season.
WAC STAT LEADERS
In team statistics, UTSA leads the WAC in assists (12.77), kills (13.88) and digs (18.27). Denver is tops in hitting percentage (.251), while Utah State leads the WAC in opponent hitting percentage (.160) and blocks (3.08), and Seattle U is tops in service aces (1.27).
Individually, Idaho’s Allison (Walker) Baker leads the WAC in kills (4.34) and points (4.86). Denver’s Faimie Kingsley is tops in hitting percentage (.392) and blocks (1.72), while San Jose State’s Michaela Leonard leads the league in assists (11.27). Kaytlyn Dill of Seattle U leads the WAC in service aces (0.41), while UTSA’s Annie Kunes is tops in digs (4.73).
In WAC matches, UTSA leads the league in assists (12.95), kills (13.90) and digs (18.90). Denver is tops in hitting percentage (.255), while New Mexico State leads the WAC in opponent hitting percentage (.137). Utah State is tops in blocks (3.03), while Idaho is tops in service aces (1.50).
Individually, UTSA’s McKenzie Adams leads the WAC in kills (4.25) and points (4.88) in WAC matches, while Desiree Scott of New Mexico State is tops in hitting percentage (.434). San Jose State’s Leonard leads the league in assists (11.53), while Idaho’s Jenna Ellis is tops in service aces (0.45). Kingsley leads the WAC in blocks (1.93) and Kunes is tops in digs (5.16).
WAC TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets for the 2012 WAC Volleyball Tournament are on sale now. The tournament will be held Nov. 19-21 at the Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas, on the campus of UTSA.
The 2012 tournament will consist of seven matches in three sessions (one session per day). Ticket prices are as follows:
All-Session: $21
Single-Session Adult: $10
Single-Session Senior/Youth: $7
Single-Session WAC Students: $5
Children two and under do not need a ticket. Tickets can be purchased online at goutsa.com or by calling (210) 458-UTSA.
2012 WAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, Nov. 19 (Quarterfinals)
Match 1 - No. 6 seed vs. No. 3 seed noon
Match 2 - No. 7 seed vs. No. 2 seed 2:30 p.m.
Match 3 - No. 5 seed vs. No. 4 seed 5 p.m.
Match 4 - No. 8 seed vs. No. 1 seed 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 20 (Semifinals)
Match 5 - Winner Match 1 vs. Winner Match 2 4 p.m.
Match 6 - Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 21 (Championship)
Match 7 - Winner Match 5 vs. Winner Match 6 4 p.m. (ESPNU)