The final week of the regular season brought some great performances, but this week’s player of the week had some standout showings against ranked opponents.
USC sophomore outside hitter Khalia Lanier averaged 5.71 kills per set, while hitting .281 and adding 3.29 digs per set and four blocks against No. 22 Oregon and No. 19 UCLA. The Scottsdale, Arizona, native registered 13 kills, 11 digs and four blocks at Oregon. She then notched career-high 27 kills in 3-0 loss to Bruins on Saturday en route to Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Honorable Mention
Emily Thorson, Tulsa – Jr., OH
Averaged 5.43 kills and 4.29 digs per set to go with 0.86 blocks per set in pair of matches vs. SMU; tallied 20 kills, 13 digs, 4 blocks and went 30-of-32 on serve receive vs. SMU on Wednesday; recorded 18 kills, 17 digs, 2 blocks, and was a perfect 13-for-13 on serve receive at SMU on Friday; made good on 96 percent of serve reception chances
Leah Edmond, Kentucky – So., OH
Averaged 6.50 kills per set and hit .423 to close out the regular season; her 21 kills over three sets at Arkansas on Wednesday was a UK three-set record, also hit .452 in the win; helped Kentucky clinch a share of the SEC Championship with 15 kills, 11 digs and two blocks, her sixth double-double of the season on Friday at Georgia; SEC Offensive Player of the Week
Nika Markovic, Pittsburgh – So., RS
Averaged 5.0 kills and 2.5 digs per set while hitting .403 in wins over Virginia and Virginia Tech en route to the ACC co-championship; downed 20 kills, while hitting .419 and adding six digs vs. Virginia Tech; posted double-double with 10 kills and 10 digs to go with three blocks against Virginia. ACC Player of the Week
Abbie Lehman, Wichita State – Sr., MB,
Averaged 4.50 kills, 1.50 blocks and 5.33 points per set, while hitting .711 in two sweeps of Memphis; notched a match-high 16 kills and five blocks, while hitting .696 on Wednesday; posted a match-high 11 kills and four blocks and hit .733 on Friday, while becoming the Shocker career leader in block assists.
Ashley Dusek, Kentucky – Sr., L
Averaged 7.00 digs per set in wins at Arkansas and Georgia; did not commit a reception error in either match, and posted 20 or more digs in each; also chipped in eight assists, helping the team hit .348 over the week; notched 22 digs and four assists vs. Arkansas; tallied 20 digs and four assists vs. Georgia; SEC Defensive Player of the Week
Other Notables
Kristina Fisher, UCF – Fr., OH
Averaged 4.83 kills per set while hitting .417 in two wins over USF; downed 15 kills and hit .371 on Wednesday; added 14 kills and hit .480 on Saturday; American Offensive Player of the Week
Danielle Cuttino, Purdue – Sr., MB
Average 4.9 kills and 1.3 blocks per set, while hitting .365 vs. Michigan (L 3-1) and Michigan State (W 3-1); 17 kills, while hitting .282 with 6 blocks and two digs vs. Michigan; 22 kills, hitting .457 with four blocks and a dig vs. MSU
Melanie McHenry, Louisville – So., OH
Averaged 4.00 kills and 2.67 digs per set in wins over Boston College (3-1) and Syracuse (3-2) en route to the ACC title; had her eighth and ninth double-double of the season and led Louisville in kills in both matches; notched 16 kills, 12 digs and two blocks, while hitting .260 vs. BC; downed 20 kills, 12 digs, four blocks, while hitting .153 vs. Syracuse; had the winning kill in three of the six sets Louisville won.
Zana Muno, UCLA – Jr., L
Averaged 5.33 digs per set in sweeps of Oregon State and USC; pulled up 21 digs vs. OSU and notched 1,000th career dig; added 11 digs vs. USC; Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week
Taryn Knuth, Florida State – Fr., MB
Averaged 3.16 blocks and 2.00 kills per set in sweeps over Clemson and Georgia Tech; tallied 12 total kills on a .258 hitting percentage, along with 19 total blocks; put up 13 blocks to go with four kills against Clemson; added eight kills and six blocks, while hitting .400 against Georgia Tech.
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