LANCASTER, Pa. - The Atlantic East Conference announced the Women’s Volleyball weekly award winners on Monday as Neumann’s Melissa Eddy and Dani Smith earned Player and Specialty Player of the Week honors, respectively.
Player of the Week:
Name: Melissa Eddy
School: Neumann
Class: First Year
Position: Pin Hitter
Hometown: Dover, Del.
High School: Caesar Rodney
Brief Outlook of Week: Melissa Eddy tallied 50 kills (3.57/set) and 37 digs (2/64/set) in 3-1 week for Neumann. In an exciting 3-2 win over DeSales, the first year tallied 20 kills and 18 digs. She also notched double-digit kills against Bryn Mawr (12) and Rowan (10).
Specialty Player of the Week:
Name: Dani Smith
School: Neumann
Class: Senior
Position: Setter
Hometown: Morinville, Alberta
High School: Morinville Community
Brief Outlook of Week: Dani Smith handed out 116 assists, notched 16 service aces and 53 digs in 3-1 week for the Knights. The senior was also named to the All-Tournament team at the Knights Invitational where Neumann went 2-1. In a thrilling 3-2 win over DeSales, Smith dished out 49 assists and 21 digs, both highs for the week. The senior notched six service aces in a 3-0 win over Cedar Crest while handing out 30 assists.
Weekly Honor Roll:
Prunell Bria (5th, Gwynedd Mercy): Purnell led the Griffins to a 3-1 week versus Albright College (W, 3-1), Rosemont College (W, 3-0), Moravian University (L, 2-3), and SUNY Maritime College. She totaled 52 kills in the four matches, including a season-high 22 kills in the five-set loss to the Greyhounds. She hit .161 for the week and totaled 61.5 points in all. Additionally she recorded three assists and 43 digs.
Poppy Skjonnemand (So., Centenary): Skjonnemand posted a total of 49 kills across three matches, including week high of 22 in a single match (vs. PSU Abington) putting her at a total of 50.5 total points. The sophomore also recorded 32 digs, 1 service ace, and 1 block.
Sabrina Schoberlein (Fy., Marymount): First-year Sabrina Schoeberlein had a strong showing for the Saints across the week, which included a stint at Johns Hopkins playing against top regional teams. Knocking 2.64 kills/set, she hit at a .181 clip to tally 37 total kills through the team's four matches. She added nine digs to collect 37.0 total points.
Dinah Stabinski (Sr., Immaculata): Dinah Stabinski had twelve digs for Immaculata in their match at Rutgers-Camden on September 12th.
Emma Leavey (Sr., Pratt): Emma Leavey turned in a pair of matches with double-digit digs, bringing up 11 against St. Joseph's-Long Island on Tuesday and 10 against Farmingdale State on Saturday.
Ayanna Gaston (Jr., Gwynedd Mercy): Gaston totaled 121 assists and 18.5 points (8K, 8 aces, 2.5 blks) in the Griffins' 3-1 week versus Albright College (W, 3-1), Rosemont College (W, 3-0), Moravian University (L, 2-3), and SUNY Maritime College. She provided four kills, an ace, 36 assists, and five digs in a four-set win over the Lions. Later in the week, she recorded a kill, five aces, 12 digs, and 1.5 blocks in a five-set loss to the Greyhounds.
Natalie Bialecki (Sr., Marymount): Senior setter Natalie Bialecki continued to facilitate the offense for the Saints across this past week, playing top regional teams. Dishing out 108 total assists, 7.20/set, she added 32 digs and five block assists.
Previous Weekly Award Winners:
(9/2) - Player of the Week: Poppy Skjonnemand, Centenary; Defensive Player of the Week: Natalie Bialecki, Marymount
(9/9) - Player of the Week: Kate Etter, Gwynedd Mercy; Defensive Player of the Week: Ayanna Gaston, Gwynedd Mercy