East Division
Offensive Player of the Week
Mariana Rodrigues, Ohio, Junior, Outside Hitter
Junior outside hitter Mariana Rodrigues (Santana De Parnaiba, Brazil) led the Ohio volleyball team (9-7, 9-7 MAC) to three wins in four matches last week, guiding the attack with a team-high 76 kills (4.00 per set) and finishing the week with 81.5 points (4.29 per set). She posted a .304 hitting percentage to help the Bobcats attack at a .282 clip as a team. She also registered 23 digs (1.21 per set), four total blocks (three block solos, one block assist) and two service aces. Rodrigues opened the week by hitting .265 with 12 kills, recording three total blocks (two block solos, one block assist), tying for the team lead with two service aces and achieving a double-double with 13 digs as Ohio earned a 3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25-15, 25-20, 15-11) win at Kent State last Tuesday (March 16). The next day in a 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 15-4) home win over Toledo, she dominated the match with a career-high 26 kills, while hitting .276 and adding a solo block and a dig. Rodrigues had another stellar performance in a 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22) home victory over Western Michigan, leading both teams with 18 kills while hitting .390. She closed out the week with a team-high 20 kills in a 3-2 (25-23, 13-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-6) loss to the Broncos the following day.
Defensive Player of the Week
Yelianiz Torres, Bowling Green, Sophomore, Defensive Specialist / Libero
Bowling Green sophomore defensive specialist Yelianiz Torres paced the Falcons in digs over the weekend sweep of Akron, logging career-highs in digs in both matches. In the first match, Torres made the switch to libero for the Falcons in the third set, totaling 29 digs over the five sets for her first career 20+ dig match a new career-high in addition to two kills, three assists and an ace. Torres followed that up in the second match, being the libero for the entirety of the four sets, with 30 digs, being another new career-high, as well as another assist.
Setter of the Week
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio, Senior, Setter
Senior setter Vera Giacomazzi (San Vendemiano, Italy) helped direct the Ohio volleyball team (9-7, 9-7 MAC) to three wins in four matches last week, distributing a team-high 218 assists (11.47 per set) to help the Bobcats attack at a .282 clip as a team. She also registered 44 digs (2.32 per set) and 10 block assists (0.53 per set) to rank second on the squad in both categories in addition to compiling nine kills and one service ace. Giacomazzi opened the week by providing a match-high 58 assists and just missed out on a double-double with nine digs as Ohio earned a 3-2 (18-25, 22-25, 25-15, 25-20, 15-11) win at Kent State last Tuesday (March 16). The next day in a 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 15-4) home win over Toledo, she secured a double-double through providing a match-high 54 assists and adding 11 digs. Giacomazzi achieved another double-double with 44 assists and 11 digs in a 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-22, 25-22) home victory over Western Michigan. She closed out the week by dishing out a match-high 62 assists, achieving another double-double with 13 digs and totaling three block assists in a 3-2 (25-23, 13-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-6) loss to the Broncos the following day.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week
Rachel Bontrager. Western Michigan, Senior, Outside Hitter
Senior outside hitter Rachel Bontrager led the Broncos with 51 kills, averaging 4.25 per set while hitting a staggering .368 with three double-doubles in three matches against NIU and Ohio. Bontrager totaled 53.0 points in three matches against Ohio, averaging 4.42 points per set. On Tuesday in a three set win over NIU, Bontrager led WMU with 13 kills to go along with 13 digs and one block. On Friday night at Ohio, Bontrager paced the Broncos with 17 kills and 12 digs while hitting .217 in the four-set loss. Bontrager on Friday also had two assists and three blocks. On Saturday, Bontrager registered her fifth straight double-double and ninth this season with 21 kills and 11 digs. Bontrager has now recorded double digit kills in 15 straight matches and had a staggering .462 hitting percentage in the five-set win over Ohio. The senior outside hitter ranks 20th overall in the NCAA in total kills (262) and leads the MAC in kills per set and points per set. Her .303 hitting percentage on the season is 10th best in the conference.
Defensive Player of the Week
Marie Plitt, Ball State, Sophomore, Middle Blocker
It was a solid all-around week for Ball State sophomore middle Marie Plitt, who helped guide the Cardinals to a 2-1 record by averaging 2.08 blocks, 1.33 digs and 2.33 kills per set while hitting .368. In fact, in Saturday contest versus Central Michigan, Plitt recorded the largest individual blocking total in the MAC so far this season, registering 11 total blocks. It’s the most blocks in a match for a Ball State player since Sept. 8, 2017. She also finished the match with nine kills and five digs. That was not her only strong defensive match, however. In Friday’s five-set win over the Chippewas, Plitt registered seven blocks and a career-high 10 digs. She also scored 11 kills for her first career kill/dig double-double. Plitt opened the week with seven more blocks in the sweep of Miami, while adding eight kills and hitting .571 (8-0-14). Overall, Plitt’s performance at the net helped the Cardinals climb back atop the MAC team blocking rankings at 2.46 blocks per set.
Setter of the Week
Logan Case, Western Michigan, Freshman, Setter
It was another stellar week for freshman and reigning back-to-back MAC West Setter of the Week Logan Case who posted 158 assists, averaging 13.17 per set with two double-doubles and three 50-plus assist matches. Case also recorded 36 digs against the Bobcats and Huskies, averaging 3.00 digs per set as WMU split its series with Ohio and swept NIU on Tuesday. In the sweep of the Huskies on Tuesday, Case nearly had a double-double with 54 assists to go along with seven digs and two kills. In a four-set match on Friday Case registered 50 assists to go along with a career-high 16 digs and one kill. On Saturday, Case recorded her second straight double-double with 54 assists and 13 digs. It was the fifth double-double of the season for Case and the sixth straight match Case has had over 40 assists and eighth match this season with at least 50. At 12.18 assists per set, Case leads the MAC and ranks 3rd in the NCAA while her 694 total assists rank 8th in the NCAA.
