HPU's Kelly Balanay earns second PacWest Player of the Week award
QUEEN CREEK, AZ - For the second time this year, Hawai‘i Pacific freshman middle hitter Kelly Balanay (San Diego, CA/Valhalla) has been named the PacWest Player of the Week...the honor was announced by the league office on October 1...she led the Sea Warriors to a 1-1 week, including a huge victory over Chaminade...in eight games she averaged 4.88 kills per contest and topped the league in hitting with a .440 clip...she also registered eight assists and finished with 39 kills.
Hawai‘i Hilo, NDNU both unbeaten at 3-0; Dixie claims first PacWest victory
QUEEN CREEK, AZ - The spikes are getting a little harder. The serves come a little faster. And the charge to the net for a block is a whole lot more intense.
Welcome to Showdown Week in the PacWest Conference with a season-high 10 conference matches scheduled over five days starting Tuesday.
NDNU and Hawai‘i Hilo are both 3-0 in league play thus far after the Argos blanked Grand Canyon on September 25 and the Vulcans claimed a big 3-1 victory over Chaminade on Friday. UHH's victory ran its winning string to six straight matches until Monday night's loss.
Headlining the Vulcan effort was freshman Hillary Hurley (Anderson, CA/Enterprise), who led UHH players with 18 kills. Also providing the Vulcans with a spark was sophomore Josimara Pinheiro (Taiaqc, Brazil) with 17 kills and 15 digs.
NDNU sophomore Lauren Quach (San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius College Prep) topped all defensive players for the week by averaging 7.45 digs per game. She boasted 82 digs in 11 games for the Argos.
BYU-Hawai‘i sophomore OH Agnes Tuilevuka (Suva, Fiji/Indian College) registered 18 kills, three service aces and 21 points in the Seasiders' lone match.
The Rebels of Dixie State earned their first PacWest victory ever with a 3-2 victory over Grand Canyon on Friday night.
In 10 games during the week, sophomore OH Cami Johnson
(Morgan, UT/Morgan - PHOTO) turned in 41 kills and
seven aces, while junior Mariesa Nielson (Oak City,
UT/Delta) averaged 1.50 blocks per game to lead the
league. She also led the PacWest with 15 total blocks during the
stretch.
Chaminade slipped to 1-3 in the PacWest and 8-4 overall with two tough conference losses. Senior Evelyn Bluthenthal (Los Angeles, CA) had 18 kills in the two matches.
Hawai‘i Pacific's Jackie Tedesco (San Jose, CA/Archbishop Mitty) averaged 5.38 digs per outing as the Sea Warriors split a pair of league matches.
Grand Canyon went 2-2 for the week, beating NDNU and Dixie State in a pair of non-league matches. Dana Edington (Peoria, AZ/Centennial) had 72 kills and Whitney Estes (Gardnerville, NV/Douglas) posted 54 over the four matches.