Four Lone Star Conference teams –Texas A&M International, Texas A&M-Kingsville, UT Tyler, and West Texas A&M – were unbeaten last week. WT tops the standings at 12-0 in LSC action and 20-4 overall.
LSC volleyball teams are 208-205 overall this season. The squads are currently 13-14 combined against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, the other league in the NCAA Division II South Central Region.
LSC schedule and results available here: http://www.lonestarconference.org/calendar.aspx?path=wvball&
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Megan Menchaca, Texas A&M International, SR, Business Management, OPP, Laredo, Texas, Cal State LA/Alexander HS
Fresh off her first LSC Offensive Player of the Week Award, Menchaca had yet another great week for TAMIU, as she helped lead the Dustdevils to a 3-0 mark and clinched their first trip to the LSC Tournament and first postseason appearance since 2012. Starting on Wednesday in a 3-0 win over St. Mary's, Menchaca recorded 10 kills and a block assist to open the week. In Friday's 3-0 win over UTPB, Menchaca ended with 11 kills and a .320 hitting percentage, while adding two block assists and two digs defensively. On Saturday, in a 3-2 win over Angelo State, Menchaca added another 19 kills, hitting .283 on the afternoon with three block assists and two more digs defensively. For the week, Menchaca hit .283 and currently sits fifth in the conference in kills per set and seventh in total kills.
DEFENSIVE
Kayla Elliott, West Texas A&M, SR, Health Sciences, MB, Wildomar, Calif., Elsinore HS
Elliott was a force at the net registering 12 blocks during the Lady Buffs victories over Lubbock Christian and Eastern New Mexico for their 13th consecutive win. She helped WT limit opponents to a .067 hitting percentage. The senior from California totaled a team-high 29 points on the week with 12 blocks, 20 kills, seven digs, and three service aces while hitting .436. She had a season-high 14 kills against the Greyhounds while matching a season-high six blocks. She now ranks seventh in the LSC in hitting percentage (.318), 12th in blocks average (.97), and 10th in aces per set (.33).
SETTER
Ainsley Malis, West Texas A&M, SO, Sports & Exercise Science, S, Tucson, Ariz., Tanque Verde HS
Malis helped guide a Lady Buff offense that hit .291 on the weekend with victories over Lubbock Christian and Eastern New Mexico. The sophomore setter totaled 41 assists while matching a season-high 25 against the Greyhounds. Malis averaged 5.86 assists a set to go along with three service aces and ranks 12th in the league in assists average at 5.05.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
A-30 AJ Koele, DBU
S-6 Torrey Miller, West Texas A&M
S-13 Mikayla Ware, UT Tyler
S-20 Torrey Miller, West Texas A&M (2)
S-27 Ayanna Jackson, Texas A&M-Kingsville
O-4 Ayanna Jackson, Texas A&M-Kingsville (2)
O-11 AJ Koele, DBU (2)
O-18 Megan Menchaca, Texas A&M International
O-25 Megan Menchaca, Texas A&M International (2)
Defensive
A-30 Morgan Demuth, Oklahoma Christian
S-6 Taytum Stow, West Texas A&M
S-13 Dakota Rogers-Hurtado, UT Tyler
S-20 Taytum Stow, West Texas A&M (2)
S-27 Leah Palensky, DBU
O-4 Hannah Thompson, Texas A&M International
O-11 Emma Patterson, West Texas A&M
O-18 Dallasstar Johnson, St. Mary’s
O-25 Kayla Elliott, West Texas A&M
Setter
A-30 Emma Lade, Texas A&M International
S-6 Lauryn Burt, DBU
S-13 Adeline Ortman, UT Tyler
S-20 Ainsley Malis, West Texas A&M
S-27 Syndey Whitmire, Texas A&M-Kingsville
O-4 Lauryn Burt, DBU (2)
O-11 Lauryn Burt, DBU (3)
O-18 Blair Moreland, West Texas A&M
O-25 Ainsley Malis, West Texas A&M