HADDONFIELD, N.J. - The Atlantic East Conference announced the Women’s Volleyball weekly award winners on Tuesday as Marywood’s Taylor Hallam and Marymount’s Ava Humphries earned Player and Specialty Player of the Week honors, respectively.
Player of the Week:
Name: Taylor Hallam
School: Marywood
Class: Junior
Position: Middle
Hometown: Harrisburg, Pa.
High School: Central Dauphin East
Brief Outlook of Week: Hallam led Marywood to a three-set sweeps of Alvernia and Penn State Schuylkill with 18 kills, nine digs, eight total blocks and a .227 hitting percentage. Hallam tallied 11 kills, eight digs and four blocks against the Lions. She had four block assists to complement seven kills against the Golden Wolves.
Specialty Player of the Week:
Name: Ava Humphries
School: Marymount
Class: Junior
Position: Defensive Specialist
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
High School: Mallard Creek
Brief Outlook of Week: In Marymount's opening weekend, junior Ava Humphries showed out for the Saints on the defensive end of the court. Averaging 4.67 digs per set throughout the three matches, she broke her career-high on Saturday with 34 total digs in a five-set loss to Plymouth State. She knocked seven aces to add to her line.
Weekly Honor Roll:
Ayla Bransford, Marywood: Bransford totaled 53 assists, 10 digs and four blocks in three-set wins over Alvernia and Penn State Schuylkill. She tallied 25 digs with three blocks and two aces against the Golden Wolves. Bransford generated 28 assists versus the Lions. She had a perfect set percentage for the week.
Ayanna Gaston, Gwynedd Mercy; Gaston captained Gwynedd Mercy University to a pair of 3-0 wins at the Cedar Crest College Tri-Match; the Griffins swept Delaware Valley University first - 25-21, 25-20, 25-23 - then set their sights on the hosting Falcons; 25-22, 25-16, 25-22. Gaston was impressive in both victories as she totaled 10.0 points (3 kills, 6 aces, 2 block assists), 19 assists, and five digs against the Aggies, then offered one kills, 35 assists, five aces, two solo blocks, and 11 digs to the triumph over Cedar Crest College. She finished the week with 18.0 points, 54 assists, and 16 digs.
Marissa Heimbaugh, Saint Elizabeth: Heimbaugh put on performance for the Eagles, totaling nine total service aces, to go along with 23 total digs, and 14 kills in the Eagles' Tri-Match vs. Albertus Magnus & Mt. St. Mary.
Hailey LaBonte, Marymount: In her first weekend of collegiate competition, LaBonte put up 3.08 points per set across the Saints' three-match weekend. Knocking 2.58 kills per set, the Portsmouth, R.I. native added 2.33 digs per set, all while hitting at a .155 hitting percentage. She ended the stint with 31 total kills. In Marymount's win over Widener on Friday, LaBonte had nine kills on a .381 hitting percentage with four digs. She added two block assists in Saturday's action to her line throughout the weekend.
Colleen Russell, Pratt: Russell posted a team-high 10 points at home against USMMA in Pratt's season opener. She served up five aces to go along with four kills and a pair of block assists in a three-set losing effort.