Courtesy: Missouri Valley Conference
This week’s Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Players of the Week are Illinois State’s Ali Line, Drake’s Elle Tubbs and Bradley’s Hannah Thompson.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ali Line, Sr., MB, Illinois State
Ali Line started all three matches for the Redbirds, as Illinois State went 3-0 to win the Top Dawg Challenge. The hometown hero was named the tournament’s MVP after finishing the weekend with a team-best 26 kills on .438 hitting, averaging 2.60 kills per set. Line was one of two ‘Birds to register a solo block, contributing six total blocks on the weekend. She reached double-digit kills against Eastern Illinois and Auburn to lead the team, while finishing second on the team against Butler. Line’s 11 kills against the Panthers matched a career-high, dating back to the 2016 season. She also matched a career-high in digs with four against Eastern Illinois, while finishing the weekend with a team-best 32.0 points for the Redbirds.
Other Notable Performances: Grace Schofield (DU); Mildrelis Rodriguez (UE); Laura Gross (INS); Quinn Spieker (LUC); Aubrey Cheffey (MSU); Karlie Taylor (UNI): Maggie Nedoma (SIU); Sydney Bronner (VALPO)
After earning MVP honors at the Top Dawg Challenge and leading @RedbirdVB to a 3-0 record with 2.60 kills/set on .438 hitting, Ali Line is the #MVCVB Offensive Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/Hv8xfqKREe
— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) September 4, 2018
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Elle Tubbs, Jr., MB, Drake
Drake junior Elle Tubbs was named to the Holy Cross Invitational All-Tournament team for helping lead the Bulldogs to three wins and the tournament title. In those 10 sets over three matches, she recorded 19 blocks with no errors to average 1.9 blocks per set. She also had a team-high 26 kills in the three matches and added five aces. Tubbs opened the tournament with five blocks in three sets against Rhode Island along with nine kills on 14 attempts. She followed that with five blocks in the four-set win over Holy Cross and returned on Sunday to record a staggering nine blocks in three sets along with seven kills against Columbia. Her nine block assists match a career high and were the most by a Bulldog in two seasons.
Other Notable Performances: Yavianliz Rosado (BRAD); Courtney Pence (ILS); Damadj Johnson (INS); Elle Van Grinsven (LUC); Emily Butters (MSU); Kendyl Sorge (UNI); Alison Thomas (SIU); Peyton McCarthy (VALPO)
Recording 1.9 blocks/set over three matches – including nine in a three-set win over Columbia – to help @DrakeVolleyball to a tournament win, Elle Tubbs is the #MVCVB Defensive Player of the Week! pic.twitter.com/IJ9WsnRlYT
— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) September 4, 2018
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Hannah Thompson, Fr., OH, Bradley
Thompson earned all-tournament honors at the CEFCU Invitational, helping Bradley to a 3-0 record. The 5-8 outside hitter averaged 3.00 kills and an impressive 6.45 digs per set in three victories. She opened the weekend with her second double-double of the year, tallying 16 kills and a season-best 29 digs to go with one assist, one ace and two blocks in a four-set victory over Western Illinois. Her 29 digs were the most by a Brave other than a libero since 2005. Thompson collected six kills and 23 digs in a three-set sweep of Toledo, helping Bradley break the school record for digs in a three-set match which had stood since 1988. She capped the week with her team-best third double-double of the week with 11 kills and 19 digs, while hitting at .312 clip in a four-set win over George Washington. Thompson is just the fifth Brave in the last 27 years to tally at least 75 kills and 75 digs in the first six matches of a season.
Other Notable Performances: Cecila Thon (UE); Marissa Stockman (ILS); Makayla Knoblauch (INS); Lauren Caprini (LUC); Chloe Rear (MSU); Inga Rotto (UNI)
Earning All-Tournament honors and helping @BRADLEYvolley to a 3-0 record last week with 3.0 kills and 6.45 digs per set, Hannah Thompson is the #MVCVB Newcomer of the Week! pic.twitter.com/rjunBdJ0N3
— Missouri Valley Conference (@MVCsports) September 4, 2018
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