Volleyball

MVC Volleyball Weekly Notebook (Sept. 15)

ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference announced its volleyball weekly awards on Monday. Northern Iowa's Cassidy Hartman has been tabbed the MVC Player of the Week. Valparaiso's Lilly Merk and Keira Lucas were named the league's Defensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week, respectively.

Conference News & Notes

  • With an 8-1 record, Belmont enters the week on an eight-match winning streak as the Bruins have won 18-straight sets. It marks the program’s first 18-set win streak since 2015.
  • Evansville, Southern Illinois and Valparaiso all rank in the top 25 nationally in team assists, team digs and team kills. The Beacons are also seventh in team total blocks at 98.0.
  • UNI enters the week ranked 21st in Division I in assists per set (13.10) and 22nd in kills per set (14.10), while Valparaiso is averaging the 12th-most digs per set at 16.86.
  • Indiana State’s Kira Holland leads the MVC in total kills (133), total attacks (407) and total points (147.5). She is third nationally, averaging 12.33 attacks per set and 10th in total attacks.
  • The trio of Emma Hickey (Valparaiso), Ainoah Cruz (Evansville) and Irene Mostardini (Bradley) continue to rank among the best nationally in digs per set. Cruz (214) and Hickey (200) rank third and sixth, respectively, in Division I in total digs. 
  • A pair of middle blockers are hitting above .400 on the year. UIC’s Julieta Sandez is fourth in the country, hitting at a .490 clip, while Southern Illinois’ Larissa Seger is hitting .451 on the year.
  • UNI’s .404 team hitting percentage in its win over Iowa State marked the fifth-highest hitting percentage in a four- or five-set match in Division I this season. 
  • Valpo’s 19.0 blocks against Northwestern is tied for the third-most in a five-setter in Division I. 
19894

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cassidy Hartman, Northern Iowa, Jr., Outside Hitter - North Liberty, Iowa (Iowa City Liberty HS)
UNI’s Cassidy Hartman helped the Panthers to a 2-2 week against tough competition, including a pair of Top 20 opponents. Hartman set a new career high with 23 kills in a home win over Iowa State, marking the fourth-straight year UNI has beaten a Big 12 opponent, while surpassing 500 career kills in the effort. Hartman recorded back-to-back double-doubles at the Bluejay Invitational against Rice and No. 4 Louisville. She led the Panthers on the week with 4.5 kills per set, including 13-plus kills in all four matches.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Lilly Merk, Valparaiso, So., Middle Blocker - Terre Haute, Ind. (Terre Haute South Vigo HS)
Valparaiso’s Lilly Merk set a career-high with an MVC-best 12 blocks to lead all players in its midweek matchup at Northwestern. Merk’s 12 blocks ranks second by a Valpo player in a five-set match in the 25-point era and it marked the seventh-most in a Division I five-setter this season. Merk followed that performance with six blocks across two matches to help the Beacons take the final two matches in winning the Lehigh Steel Classic title. Her 1.50 blocks per set marked a league-best this week.  

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Keira Lucas, Valparaiso, Fr., Outside Hitter - Brazil, Ind. (Northview HS)
After seeing limited action her first two weeks of collegiate action, Valparaiso’s Keira Lucas stepped up in a big way and helped play a key role in the Beacons winning the Lehigh Steel Classic. She hit at a .302 clip while contributing 22 kills, 18 digs, six aces and a trio of blocks. The rookie finished with 2.44 kills per set, 2.00 digs per set and tied for second in the MVC in aces per set (0.67).