With the team race intensifying, so too is the quality of individual play in the Big West, which has led to Co-Player of the Week honors for UC Irvine’s Sami Cash and UC Santa Barbara’s Janine Sandell.

Cash (Riverside, Calif./John North HS) led the Anteaters through a pair of road victories by attacking at a .423 (28-6-52) clip last week. The 6-3 senior middle blocker had a season-high 17 kills against Utah State and helped UC Irvine to its first-ever win over Idaho with her second errorless performance at the net, finishing with 11 kills on 19 attempts. Cash also became the third Anteater to record 300 block assists with eight in two matches.

Sandell (London, England/Deer Valley HS-Ariz.) was the driving force in a pair of big wins that pushed the No. 20 Gauchos to a two-match lead in the Big West standings. Her match-high 24 kills against Pacific were the most by a UC Santa Barbara player this season and the second-highest total of her career. The 5-10 sophomore outside hitter also added 13 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. In a sweep of Cal State Northridge, Sandell tied the team-high 12 kills and matched her career high of four aces.