PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly volleyball honors for the week ending on Oct. 22.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Abbie Lehman * Sr. * MB * Wichita State21
Lehman averaged a .517 hitting percentage with 5.83 kills and 6.33 points per set to help the Shockers
21 sweep away their weekend foes and stay undefeated in conference play with a 10-0 record. Wichita State posted wins over two teams that entered the weekend tied for third place, as the senior middle blocker put down 18 kills against Cincinnati and had 17 more against ECU. She also recorded a .625 hitting percentage in the victory over the Pirates. Lehman added six blocks in the Shockers’ two matches, averaging 1.00 blocks per set.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Mia Heirakuji * Jr. * DS/L * Temple
The Owls moved into second place in The American after enjoying a 2-0 weekend, as Heirakuji was Temple’s top defensive player and passer over the weekend, averaging 6.00 digs per set. Without committing a single reception error, she guided the team to 3-1 wins over Tulsa and two-time defending conference champion SMU, who shares the second place spot with the Owls. Heirakuji had 25 digs against the Golden Hurricane and 23 more against SMU.
WEEKLY HONOR ROLL
Natalie Montini * Sr. * MH * ECU
Montini averaged 4.17 kills and 4.67 points per set with a .525 hitting percentage in ECU’s two contests on the road over the weekend. The senior middle hitter paced the team to hitting .358 and recorded 10 kills with a .500 hitting percentage in a 3-0 win over Memphis on Friday night. She then registered a 15-kill performance against Wichita State on Sunday with just two attacking errors for a .542 hitting percentage.
Katie Karbo * So. * L * Houston
Karbo helped Houston to a 2-0 weekend, leading the back row with 6.57 digs per set through the Cougars’ two victories. The libero had 29 digs in a 3-1 win over UCF and added 17 more in a three-set win over USF. Houston is locked in a three-way tie for fourth place in league standings.
Kyra Coundourides * Sr. * S * Temple
Coundourides averaged a double-double (50.5 assists, 13.5 digs) in Temple’s two wins over the weekend. Averaging 12.62 assists and 3.38 digs per set, she guided the Owls to reaching a .290 hitting percentage in wins over Tulsa and SMU. She had 46 assists and 19 digs against the Golden Hurricane and 55 assists and eight digs against the Mustangs. She also put down seven kills while hitting .583 against Tulsa.
Izzy Rapacz * Sr. * OH/RS * Temple
Rapacz registered two double-doubles at right side with 18 kills and 16 digs against Tulsa and 19 kills, 11 digs and eight blocks against SMU. Through Temple’s two wins, she recorded 4.62 kills, 3.38 digs and 1.12 blocks per set with a .316 hitting percentage.
Taylor Horsfall * So. * DS/L * Tulsa
Horsfall entered the weekend ranked in the nation’s top-10 in both digs and digs per set, as she continues to perform at a national level. Averaging 8.43 digs per set, she recorded 32 digs against Temple on Friday and had 27 digs in a 3-0 win over UConn on Sunday. The sophomore had just one reception error all weekend.