ORU's Swier and SDSU's Birath Garner Weekly Volleyball Honors
ELMHURST, Ill. - Oral Roberts' Jocelyn Swier and South Dakota State's Shay Birath were named Summit League Offensive and Defensive Volleyball Players of the Week for their performances Nov. 1-7.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jocelyn Swier, Oral Roberts
Sr., MB (Ripon, Calif./Ripon)
Swier captures her first career Offensive Player of the Week award after leading the Golden Eagles to an undefeated weekend with wins over Southern Utah (3-1) and UMKC (3-1) to keep Oral Roberts in the race for a Summit League Tournament berth. She opened the weekend against the Thunderbirds with a near perfect performance; collecting 11 kills and two errors in 22 attempts for a .409 hitting percentage. Swier then went on to tally nine kills and a .353 hitting percentage in ORU's victory over the Kangaroos. For the weekend, she recorded 20 kills with five errors in 39 attempts for a .381 clip, adding nine digs and five blocks. Swier ranks in the top-10 in league only hitting percentage (6th/.320) and overall hitting percentage (8th/.289).
Also nominated: Maya Schlindwein, IPFW; Kalyse Reimbold, IUPUI, Kelsey Knoche, UMKC; Meghan Bray, Oakland; Kelli Fiegen, South Dakota State; Kylie Schofield, Southern Utah; Brooke Stittleburg, Western Illinois.
Previous Winners: Nov. 1 - Kelli Fiegen, South Dakota State; Oct. 25 - Chrissy Knuth, North Dakota State; Oct. 18 - Maya Schlindwein, IPFW; Oct. 11 - Megan Lamberston, North Dakota State; Oct. 4 - Analaine Pelaez, Southern Utah; Sept. 27 - Jordan Kissman, North Dakota State; Sept. 20 - Analaine Pelaez, Southern Utah; Sept. 13 - Megan Steenhuysen, IPFW; Sept. 7 - Kelli Fiegen, South Dakota State; Aug. 30 - Ellyce Youngren, South Dakota State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shay Birath, South Dakota State
So., L (Marshall, Minn./Marshall Senior)
Birath earns her second straight Defensive Player of the Week award and the second of her career after helping the Jackrabbits upset North Dakota State (3-1). She started off the week in non-league action against rival South Dakota by recording 28 digs, an average of 5.6 per set. Birath and the Jacks then downed league foe North Dakota State as she tallied 24 digs averaging 6.0 per set. On the week, she recorded two matches of 20-plus digs, totaling 52 digs, an average of 5.78 per set. Birath currently ranks in the top-five in digs in league action (2nd/4.91) and overall on the season (4th/4.58).
Also nominated: Alli Hook, IPFW; Shari Bernhardt, IUPUI; Kayla Riggs, UMKC; Brittany Dunn, Oakland; Bruna Silva, Oral Roberts; Caitlin Jensen, Southern Utah; Ellen Miller, Western Illinois
Previous Winners: Nov. 1 - Shay Birath, South Dakota State/Brittany Dunn, Oakland; Oct. 25 - Bruna Silva, Oral Roberts; Oct. 18 - Brittany Dunn, Oakland; Oct. 11 - Brittany Dunn, Oakland; Oct. 4 - Brittany Dunn, Oakland; Sept. 27 - Demetra Williams, UMKC; Sept. 20 - Tessa McGill, IPFW Sept. 13 - Nicole Kerkman, UMKC; Sept. 7 - Shari Bernhardt, IUPUI; Aug. 30 - Tessa McGill, IPFW
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