SEATTLE U’S SAMADAN NAMED WAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Seattle U sophomore middle blocker Martina Samadan has been named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 14-20. This is her first-ever WAC Player of the Week honor.
The Split, Croatia, native led the Redhawks to 3-0 record last week to move into a tie for first place in the WAC standings, averaging WAC-bests of 5.68 points and 4.27 kills on .545 hitting to go along with 1.36 blocks, 0.82 digs and 0.64 service aces per set. Last Monday, Samadan posted a match-high-tying 19 kills and a team-high six blocks in Seattle U’s victory over Grand Canyon. Against Chicago State last Thursday, she once again paced the Redhawk offense, finishing with 16 kills on 25 attempts with just one error for a .600 hitting percentage to go along with four service aces. Two nights later against Kansas City, Samadan finished with 12 kills, seven blocks and two service aces. In the third set, she went 6-for-8 in attacks without an error to lead Seattle U to its fifth straight home victory. In WAC matches, Samadan leads the conference with a .578 hitting percentage.
Other nominees included: Bakersfield’s Debora Araujo averaged 4.12 kills, 4.75 points, 1.50 digs and 0.50 blocks per set as the Roadrunners went 2-0 on the week ... Paula Sioto of Chicago State averaged 4.00 kills on .257 hitting last week ... Grand Canyon’s Megan Davis averaged 4.00 kills, 3.50 digs and 0.80 blocks per set in the Antelopes’ one match last week ... Ashley Christman of Idaho averaged 3.33 kills, 1.33 digs and 1.33 blocks per set as the Vandals went 2-0 on the week ... Kansas City’s Taryn Miller averaged 5.83 digs per set last week ... Lauren Loerch of New Mexico State averaged 3.12 kills and 2.62 digs per set and posted a pair of double-doubles ... Texas-Pan American’s Krysta Freitas averaged 3.00 kills, 1.83 digs and 0.67 service aces per set last week ... Katie Fritzler of Utah Valley averaged 2.44 kills on .370 hitting and 0.89 blocks per set as the Wolverines went 2-1 on the week..
WAC STAT LEADERS
Bakersfield leads the WAC in assists (13.23) and kills (13.87), while New Mexico State is tops in opponent hitting percentage (.157) and Grand Canyon leads the league in digs (17.03). Meanwhile, Idaho is tops in hitting percentage (.246), Kansas City leads the league in blocks (2.93) and Texas-Pan American is tops in service aces (1.49).
Individually, Bakersfield’s Debora Araujo leads the WAC in kills (3.74) and points (4.19), while Utah Valley’s McKenna Tait is tops in service aces (0.43). Idaho’s Alyssa Schultz leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.375) and teammate Meredith Coba leads the league in assists (10.23). Kansas City’s Emma Hagedorn leads the WAC in blocks (1.38), while Grand Canyon’s Mackenzie Phelps is tops in digs (5.50).
In WAC matches only, New Mexico State leads the league in hitting percentage (.250), opponent hitting percentage (.121) and blocks (3.29). Seattle U is tops in assists (12.97) and kills (13.75), while Utah Valley leads the league in service aces (1.30) and Grand Canyon is tops in digs (17.50).
Individually in WAC matches, Seattle U’s Martina Samadan leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.552) and points (4.34), while teammates Iris Ivanis and Kerry Lane are tops in kills (3.71) and assists (11.33), respectively. Utah Valley’s McKenna Tait leads the league in service aces (0.52), New Mexico State’s Desiree Scott is tops in blocks (1.64) and Phelps leads the WAC in digs (5.21).
GCU’S PHELPS BREAKS WAC RECORD FOR DIGS IN A MATCH
In a heartbreaking five-set loss to Central Connecticut State on Sept. 13, Grand Canyon junior libero Mackenzie Phelps set a Grand Canyon and WAC single-match record with 52 digs. Phelps broke the previous WAC record of 47 set by Jessie Shull of San Jose State during the 2006 season.
WAC TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Tickets for the 2013 WAC Volleyball Tournament, which will be held Nov. 25-27 at Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., are on sale now. All-session tickets, which are general admission seating and gets you admission all five matches, are $23. Tickets can be purchased at www.gcuarena.com.
Single session tickets go on sale Monday, Nov. 25, at the arena box office.
2013 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2013 WAC Volleyball Tournament will be held Nov. 25-27 at Grand Canyon Arena on the campus of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz., and will include the top six eligible teams in the regular-season standings.
WAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, Nov. 25 (First Round)
Match 1 - No. 6 seed vs. No. 3 seed, 5 p.m.
Match 2 - No. 5 seed vs. No. 4 seed, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 20 (Semifinals)
Match 3 - Winner Match 1 vs. No. 2 seed, 5 p.m.
Match 4 - Winner Match 2 vs. No. 1 seed, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 21 (Championship)
Match 5 - Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4, 5 p.m.
TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS (13-9, 5-3 WAC)
The Roadruuners beat New Mexico State in five sets (14-25, 18-25, 26-24, 25-22, 15-12) last Thursday, then swept Texas-Pan American (25-20, 25-19, 25-21) on Saturday ... Against NM State, Debora Araujo led all players with 20 kills, eight digs, three service aces and two blocks ... Kelsee Sawyer added 13 kills, while Fernanda Gonçalves posted a double-double of 45 assists and 10 digs ... Against UTPA, Araujo finished with 13 kills on .571 hitting, while Sawyer added 12 kills ... Gonçalves dished out 42 assists, while Mariah Alvidrez had 16 kills ... As a team, Bakersfield ranks 24th nationally in assists (13.23) and 38th in kills (13.87) ... Araujo leads the WAC in kills (3.74) and points (4.19), while Sawyer ranks fifth in kills (3.09) and points (3.46) ... Molly O’Hagan ranks third in the WAC in hitting percentage (.337), seventh in kills (2.88) and eighth in points (3.39) ... Gonçalves is second in the WAC in assists (9.61), while Alvidrez is second in digs (5.09) ... The Roadrunners host Seattle U on Thursday and Idaho on Saturday.
CHICAGO STATE COUGARS (2-20, 0-8 WAC)
The Cougars fell at Seattle U (25-21, 18-25, 13-25, 24-26) last Thursday and at Idaho (12-25, 21-25, 19-25) on Saturday ... Against the Redhawks, Paula Sioto had a match-high 17 kills, while Valeria Desiderio added 12 ... Mackenzie Lotter dished out 40 assists, while Julia Menhart tallied 15 digs ... Against the Vandals, Sioto had a match-high 11 kills to go along with eight digs ... Sioto, who ranks second in the WAC in kills (3.59) and points (4.03), has recorded double-digit kills in 11 of the Cougars’ last 14 matches ... Sioto has 273 kills so far this season, the most Stacey Cole had 402 kills in 2003 ... As a team, Chicago State ranks fourth in the league in service aces (1.21) ... Mia Townsell ranks second in the WAC in service aces (0.34) and sixth in digs (3.45) ... Lotter ranks sixth in the WAC in assists per set (9.00), while Menhart ranks fourth in service aces per set (0.32) ... Chicago State plays at Kansas City on Friday in its only match this week.
GRAND CANYON ANTELOPES (7-11, 1-5 WAC)
The Antelopes fell at Seattle U (33-31, 19-25, 20-25, 21-25) last Monday in their only match of the week ... Megan Davis had a season-high 16 kills to go along with 14 digs for her 10th double-digit dig performance and third double-double of the season ... Kristen Johannsen and Shannon Dugan added 10 kills apiece ... Mackenzie Phelps led the Antelopes with 15 digs ... The winningest coach in program history, head coach Kris Naber is one win shy of 300 for her career ... As a team, the Antelopes lead the WAC in digs (17.03), rank third in opponent hitting percentage (.188) and kills (12.33), and fourth in assists (11.60) ... The WAC’s active leader in career digs, Phelps has 1,618 on her career and is 113 shy of the program record ... Phelps leads the conference in digs (5.50) ... Kaitlynn Ausmus ranks ninth in the WAC in kills (2.83) ... The Antelopes play at Texas-Pan American on Monday, at UTEP on Wednesday, at New Mexico State on Thursday and at Kansas City on Saturday.
IDAHO VANDALS (12-8, 5-3 WAC)
The Vandals swept Kansas City (25-19, 25-23, 25-17) last Thursday and Chicago State (25-12, 25-21, 25-19) on Saturday ... Against the Kangaroos, Jessica Hastriter led all players with 18 kills on .429 hitting, while Jenna Ellis posted a match-high 26 digs and Meredith Coba finished with 39 assists ... Against the Cougars, Ashley Christman paced the Vandals with 10 kills on .562 hitting ... Coba was just shy of a double-double, finishing with 33 assists and nine digs ... Alyssa Schultz leads the WAC in hitting percentage (.375), ranks fourth in blocks (1.15) and 10th in points (3.30) ... Coba leads the league in assists (10.23), while Ellis is fourth in digs (4.11) ... Hastriter ranks fourth in the WAC in kills (3.17) and eighth in hitting percentage (.256), while Taylor Wilkinson is fourth in hitting percentage (.295) ... As a team, the Vandals lead the WAC in hitting percentage (.246), rank second in assists (11.77) and kills (12.84), and fourth in blocks (2.20) ... Idaho plays at Utah Valley on Thursday and at Bakersfield on Saturday.
KANSAS CITY KANGAROOS (10-10 4-4 WAC)
The Kangaroos fell at Idaho (19-25, 23-25, 17-25) last Thursday and at Seattle U (14-25, 27-29, 25-27) on Saturday ... Against the Vandals, Kaylyn Brandt posted a double-double of 18 assists and 10 digs, while Taryn Miller had 21 digs ... Against the Redhawks, Jessica Hendin had 10 kills, while Miller had 14 digs ... Miller has posted double-digit digs in 18 of 20 matches this season ... The ‘Roos rank fourth in the nation in blocks (2.93) and 31st in digs (16.29) ... Emma Hagedorn leads the WAC and ranks 18th nationally in blocks (1.38), while Miller is third in the WAC and 28th nationally in digs (5.00) ... Sydney Crimmins ranks fourth in the WAC in points (3.58), sixth in blocks (1.09) and 10th in hitting percentage (.238), while Melissa Hartsel is fifth in blocks (1.11) ... As a team, Kansas City leads the WAC in blocks (2.93), ranks second in digs (16.29), and third in opponent hitting percentage (.191) and assists (11.63) ... The ‘Roos host Chicago State on Friday and Grand Canyon on Saturday.
NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (11-10, 6-2 WAC)
The Aggies suffered their first WAC losses of the season last week at Bakersfield (25-14, 25-18, 24-26, 22-25, 12-15) and at Utah Valley (16-25, 23-25, 18-25) ... In the loss to the Roadrunners, Lauren Loerch had 15 kills and 11 digs, while Bradley Nash also doubled up with 10 kills and 11 digs ... Against the Wolverines, Loerch posted her fourth double-double of the season with 10 kills and 10 digs ... Desiree Scott ranks 40th in the nation with 1.28 blocks per set ... As a team, the Aggies lead the WAC in opponent hitting percentage (.157), rank second in blocks (2.52), and fourth in hitting percentage (.207) and kills (12.31) ... Scott ranks second in the WAC in hitting percentage (.350) and blocks (1.28), and seventh in points (3.42) ... Stephanie Ziegler ranks ninth in the WAC in digs (3.17), while Loerch ranks 10th in kills (2.78)
... The Aggies host Grand Canyon on Thursday and Texas-Pan American on Saturday.
SEATTLE U REDHAWKS (10-14, 7-2 WAC)
The Redhawks went 3-0 last week, defeating Grand Canyon (31-33, 25-19, 25-20, 25-21), Chicago State (21-25, 25-18, 25-13, 26-24) and Kansas City (25-14, 29-27, 27-25) to move into a tie for first place in the standings ... Against the Antelopes, Martina Samadan and Iris Ivanis had 19 kills each. Ivanis added 11 digs for her fourth double-double of the season ... Sarah Jaeckel posted a double-double of 13 kills and 14 digs, while Kerry Lane also doubled up with 60 assists and 11 digs ... Against the Cougars, Samadan had 16 kills, while Sarah Jaeckel and Ivanis added 12 kills apiece ... Against the Kangaroos, Jaeckel had a match-high 14 kills, while Samadan added 12 and Ivanis had 10 kills and 10 digs for her fifth double-double of the season ... Ivanis ranks sixth in the WAC in kills (2.99) and points (3.43), and seventh in service aces (0.27) ... Kerry Lane is third in the WAC in assists (9.40), while Beadle is seventh in digs (3.32) ... The Redhawks play at Bakersfield on Thursday and at Utah Valley on Saturday.
TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN BRONCS (11-13, 1-7 WAC)
The Broncs fell in straight sets at Utah Valley (8-25, 17-25, 19-25) last Thursday and at Bakersfield (20-25, 19-25, 21-25) on Saturday ... Against the Wolverines, Haley Durham and Alisha Watson had six kills each, while Nycole Masaki dished out 23 assists and Shanice Faison tallied 12 digs ... Against the Roadrunners, Krysta Freitas season highs of 13 kills and four service aces, while Faison had a match-high 18 digs ... UTPA leads the WAC and ranks 49th nationally with 1.49 service aces per set ... The Broncs also rank fourth in the WAC in digs (14.26) ... Three Broncs rank in the top 10 in the WAC in service aces per set, led by Freitas in third (0.34), Masaki in fifth (0.32), and Macey Singleton in 10th (0.26) ... Maria Kliefoth is fifth in the WAC in hitting percentage (.292), while Masaki is fifth in assists (9.04) and Nausheen Merchant is eighth in digs (3.23) ... The Broncs host Grand Canyon on Monday, then play at New Mexico State on Saturday.
UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES (13-11, 7-2 WAC)
The Wolverines fell at Utah State in non-conference action last Tuesday (12-25, 18-25, 15-25), then defeated Texas-Pan American (25-8, 25-17, 25-19) last Thursday and New Mexico State (25-16, 25-23, 25-18) on Saturday ... Against Utah State, Brookelyn Hall was just shy of a double-double, finishing with 20 assists, nine digs and four blocks ... In the win over the Broncs, Katie Fritzler led all players with 10 kills, while McKenna Tait had a match-high 17 digs, and Hall finished with 32 assists, eight digs and three blocks ... Against NM State, Cassie Wahlin had a team-high 13 kills, Hall had 33 assists and nine digs, and Lauren Stringham finished with nine kills and eight blocks ... Tait leads the WAC and ranks 31st nationally in aces (0.43), and ranks fifth in digs (4.03) ... As a team, the Wolverines rank second in the conference in hitting percentage (.211), and third in blocks (2.33) and service aces (1.28) ... Utah Valley hosts Idaho on Thursday and Seattle U on Saturday.