2011 NCAC Players of the Week

Christine Simpson, Wittenberg
(Dublin, OH/Scioto) 

GP: 7
Kills: 18 (15 versus Hiram)
Kills per game: 2.57

Senior Christine Simpson led the Tigers to a pair of conference victories, including a 3-1 decision over second-place Hiram, to clinch its 17th NCAC title. She smashed 15 kills in the match against the Terriers and finished with 18 for the week.

Laura Jessee, Oberlin
(Roanoke, VA/Patrick Henry)

Sets Played: 6
Kills: 26 (4.33 per set)        Blocks: 5 (.83 per set)
Digs: 1            Set Assists: 1

Oberlin junior middle hitter Laura Jessee, who has missed most of the fall due to injury, led the Yeowomen to their first victory of the season on Saturday after she slammed down 12 kills in the straight-set triumph over Ohio Wesleyan. In addition, Jessee added 14 kills in Oberlin’s 3-0 setback against Allegheny on Wednesday.

Taylor Summerfield, Hiram
(Warren, OH/Howland)

Set Assists: 144 (10.2 per set)        Digs: 22 (1.57 per set)
Blocks: 7 (0.5 per set)        Kills: 4 (0.29 per set)
Service Aces: 3 (0.21 per set)

Hiram senior setter Taylor Summerfield distributed 144 set assists (10.2 per set) in 14 total sets last week to help the Terriers extend their current winning streak to 10-straight with four league victories. In addition, Summerfield added 22 digs, seven blocks, four kills and three service aces.

Ana Maricic, Kenyon
(Harbor City, CA/San Pedro)

Kills: 35 (3.2 per game)    Service Aces: 10 (0.90 per game)
Attack Pct.: .475        Digs: 10 (0.90 per game)            
Blocks: 9.5 (0.90)

Sophomore Ana Maricic led Kenyon to three victories last week. She totaled 35 kills (.475 hitting %), 10 service aces, 10 digs and 9.5 blocks as the Ladies swept Ohio Wesleyan and Wilmington in straight sets, and defeated DePauw, 3-2.

Madie Hudac, Allegheny
(Mars, PA/Mars)

GP: 11                            Assists: 85 (7.73 per set)
Digs: 22 (2.00 per set)    Service Aces: 6 (.545 per set)

Allegheny sophomore setter Madie Hudac led the Gators to a 1-2 record in conference play. Hudac totaled 85 assists, six services aces and 22 digs in 11 sets, and led Allegheny to its first North Coast victory of 2011, a 3-2 decision over Ohio Wesleyan.

Sets Played: 15            
Kills: 36 (2.40 per set)
Digs: 54 (3.60 per set)    

Ohio Wesleyan junior Megan Weissenberger tallied 10 kills and 12 digs to help lead OWU to its first conference victory since 2009, a 3-0 triumph over Oberlin on Sunday. Weissenberger rounded out the weekend competition with 36 kills and 54 digs.

Shaina Bryan, Hiram
(South Euclid, OH/Brush) 

GP: 15            
Kills: 73 (4.98 per game)
Digs: 55 (3.67 per game)    
Blocks: 13 (0.87 per game)

Hiram senior Shaina Bryan was named the Hiram Invitational Tournament MVP after she smashed 73 kills, and was credited with 55 digs, 13 total blocks and a pair of service aces. The Terriers won their own tournament with a 4-0 record, all in straight sets.

Wooster senior setter Lizzi Beal  led the Fighting Scots to a 3-1 record at the Marcia French Invitational, hosted by Baldwin-Wallace and Case Western Reserve. She had double doubles in a sweep of Buffalo State (15 kills, 12 digs) and a sweep of Carnegie Mellon (22 assists, 10 digs) and contributed 23 digs in a four-set victory over the Yellow Jackets. She was named to the all-tournament team.

Katie Sumner Wittenberg
(Dublin, OH/Watterson) 

Kills: 33
Digs: 15
Blocks: 12
Attack Percentage: .424
Sets Played: 11

Wittenberg senior middle hitter Katie Sumner smashed 33 kills and finished with a .424 attack percentage as the Tigers got off to a 3-0 start. In decisions over two of the top six teams in the nation, Sumner totaled 13 kills on a .367 hit percentage with seven blocks in a win over second-ranked Emory, then hit .462 with 14 kills in a victory over sixth-ranked Juniata.