OU's Lange, IUPUI's Bernhardt and WIU's Murphy Garner Weekly Volleyball Awards

10/31/2011 12:00:00 AM

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ELMHURST, Ill. - Oakland's Jenna Lange was named The Summit League's Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week, while IUPUI's Shari Bernhardt and Western Illinois' Bridget Murphy were selected for Co-Defensive honors for their performances Oct. 24-30.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jenna Lange, Oakland
Sr. MH
Marlette, Mich./Marlette
Lange earns her first career Offensive Player of the Week award after posting an error-free performance at the net to lead Oakland to an undefeated (2-0) week in league play. The middle hitter opened the week with a .500 clip (8-0-16) to help the Golden Grizzlies upset then league-leader Oral Roberts, 3-0. She came back to help her team sweep Southern Utah with 10 kills and no errors in 21 attempts for a .476 hitting percentage. For the week, Lange tallied a .486 hitting percentage with 18 kills and no errors in 37 attempts to average 3.00 kills per set, while adding eight blocks (1.33 per set) and three digs.

Also nominated: Kendall Wienkes, IPFW; Moriah Fair, IUPUI; Ella Meier, UMKC; Jennifer Lopez, North Dakota State; Olivia Ophus, Oral Roberts; Tahnee Reed, South Dakota; Analaine Pelaez-Mailoto, Southern Utah; Brooke Stittleburg, Western Illinois.

Previous winners: Aug. 29 - Jennifer Lopez, North Dakota State; Sept. 6 - Elizabeth McVicker, Oral Roberts; Sept. 12 - Kelli Fiegen, South Dakota State & Analaine Pelaez-Mailoto, Southern Utah; Sept. 19 - Kendall; Kritenbrink, South Dakota; Sept. 26 - Analaine Pelaez, Southern Utah; Oct. 3 - Tori Kroll, South Dakota; Oct. 10 - Brittany Holbrook, Oakland; Oct. 17 - Megan Lambertson, North Dakota State; Oct. 24 - Megan Steenhuysen, IPFW.

CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Shari Bernhardt, IUPUI
Sr., L
Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield
Bernhardt garners her fifth career Defensive Player of the Week honor and first of the season after becoming the fourth player in league history to record 2,000 career digs. She opened the week with a 26 dig performance in a four-set win over Valparaiso, surpassing the 2,000 dig mark. The libero then recorded 24 digs against UMKC, followed by a 42-dig match in the Jaguar's five-set victory over South Dakota, in which she became IUPUI's all-time digs leader. Her total against USD ties the fifth-best mark in league history for digs in a single match and digs in a five-set match. The match also marked her second 40-plus dig performance of the season. She has recorded double-digit dig performances in 22 straight matches, including four consecutive 20-plus efforts. For the week, Bernhardt tallied 92 digs, averaging 6.57 per set and two service aces.

Bridget Murphy, Western Illinois
Jr., DS
New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic
Murphy earns her second career Defensive Player of the Week award and second of the season after posting back-to-back 30-plus dig performances. She started off the week with 34 digs against South Dakota and came back in the next match to tally 33 against UMKC, which marked her third and fourth 30-plus performances this season. Entering last week, the junior led the league and ranked fifth in the nation with 5.96 digs per set. On the week, Murphy collected 67 digs, averaging 6.70 per set and three service aces.

Also nominated: Tessa McGill, IPFW; Nicole Kerkman, UMKC; Brynn Joki, North Dakota State; Alli Kirk, Oakland; Bruna Silva, Oral Roberts; Carol Logato, South Dakota; Davia Lee, Southern Utah.

Previous winners: Aug. 29 - Bridget Murphy, Western Illinois; Sept. 6 - Bethany Fogler, IUPUI; Sept. 12 - Tessa McGill, IPFW; Sept. 19 - Shay Birath, South Dakota State; Sept. 26 - Bruna Silva, Oral Roberts; Oct. 3 - Bethany Fogler, IUPUI; Oct. 10 - Bruna Silva, Oral Roberts; Oct. 17 - Shay Birath, South Dakota State; Tessa McGill, IPFW.