DENVER – CSU Bakersfield senior libero Emily Lopes has been named Western Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 25-Oct. 1. This is her first WAC Player of the Week honor of the season and of her career.
The Bakersfield, Calif., native anchored the Roadrunner defense to a pair of WAC victories last week as CSU Bakersfield accomplished its first 4-0 start since joining the league in 2013. The libero averaged an astounding 7.50 digs to go along with 1.00 assists per set over the two matches. In a three-set sweep over Seattle U, Lopes recorded more than eight digs per set as she finished with 25 digs and added three assists. She went on to post an impressive 35 digs on Saturday against Utah Valley while adding five assists. The performance helped the 'Runners defeat the Wolverines, breaking a string of three-straight five-set losses to UVU. CSUB was trailing two sets to one and mounted a comeback to win, staving off multiple match points in set five before scoring the final three points to secure the 17-15 victory.
Lopes entered the Saturday's match ranked fourth nationally in total digs and seventh in digs per set. The senior raised her numbers to 399 digs and 6.05 per set by the end of the weekend and leads the next closest WAC student-athlete by nearly one dig per set (5.23). With a minimum of 11 matches remaining this season, at her current pace Lopes would finish the season with 642 digs, which would rank fifth all-time in a single season in WAC history.
Other nominees included: Claire Kovensky of Grand Canyon averaged 3.29 kills and 2.29 digs per set last week ... Kansas City's Alicia Harrington averaged 2.83 kills, 2.17 digs and 0.50 service aces per set on the week ... Tatyana Battle of NM State averaged 4.67 kills on .390 hitting, 1.50 digs and 0.50 service aces per set as the Aggies went 2-0 on the week ... UT Rio Grande Valley's Ragni Steen Knudsen averaged 3.67 kills on .365 hitting, 2.17 digs and 0.67 service aces per set in a pair of victories ... Lexi Thompson of Utah Valley averaged 4.56 kills, 2.11 digs and 0.56 blocks per set as the Wolverines went 1-1 on the week.
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