BIG TEN POW 10/23

[D. B. Cooper]

Minnesota, Ohio State and Penn State Earn Weekly Volleyball Honors
Ohio State's Szerszen and Penn State's Hodge Share Player of the Week Award; Minnesota's Peniata Selected Again as Top Defensive Star

Oct. 23, 2006


CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Anna Szerszen, Ohio State
Fr., OH, Conflans Ste Hne, France/Lyce'e International

In Sunday's come-from-behind win over Michigan, Szerszen recorded career highs of 27 kills, 11 digs, two solo blocks and tied her career high of three total blocks. Down 2-1 in the match to Michigan, Szerszen had a game-high nine kills in game four while hitting .421. She then had a game-high four kills, hitting .600 in the deciding fifth game. She totaled 17 kills and 18 points against Michigan State prior to the match versus the Wolverines.

Last OSU POW: Danielle Meyer (8/29/06)

Megan Hodge, Penn State
Fr., OH, Durham, N.C./Riverside

Behind Hodge, the second-ranked Nittany Lions finished the first half of the Big Ten undefeated at 10-0. Against Michigan on Friday night, the freshman led all players with 25 kills and set a new career best with 20 digs, her sixth career double-double. The following night versus Michigan State, Hodge again led the match with 14 kills and also tied her career best with five blocks. For the weekend, Hodge averaged 5.6 kills per game with 3.7 digs per game and 1.0 blocks per game.

Last PSU POW: Megan Hodge (9/25/06)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Malama Peniata, Minnesota
Sr., LIB, Plymouth, Minn./Armstrong

Peniata averaged 6.5 digs and 1.2 assists per game this past week, while helping the Golden Gophers to a 2-0 mark over No. 11 Wisconsin and Iowa. Behind Peniata's efforts, Minnesota limited its opponents to a .117 hitting percentage for the week. The Gophers have now played five ranked opponents in Big Ten play this year and held them all to at least .100 points under their season average in hitting percentage.

Last MINN DPOW: Malama Peniata (9/18/06)

[OverAndUnder]

I pray to the Tiki Gods of Volleyball that one of the regional finals will feature an all-out slugfest between Hodge and (Barboza or Hooker or Morrison), and I also pray I will be able to find cheap airfare to that regional.

[maninyellowhat]

What a rip off. Should have been Jones or Cumpston from Minnesota.

[ugopher]

Playing Iowa probably hurt both Jones and Cumpston. However, I agree. The numbers that Jones put up last week, especially against Iowa, had to be hard to ignore.

[parent]

What the POW is based on is how many kills you have - not your hitting percentage. So you can hit .100 but if you have 25 or more kills in a match you have a great chance to be Big Ten POW.