Junior Janine Sandell (London England/Deer Valley (AZ) HS) earned Big West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week honors after two exceptional performances helped UC Santa Barbara to conference victories over Long Beach State and UC Irvine while breaking a four-match losing streak.

The 5-10 outside hitter hit .413 (35-4-75) to lead the Gauchos to a pair of three-game sweeps. She averaged 5.83 kills, 2.50 digs and 0.67 blocks per game.

Against the 25th-ranked 49ers, Sandell led UCSB to its biggest win of the season as she pounded home 16 balls with no errors in 36 attempts (.444). She added seven digs and two blocks in UCSB’s seventh straight victory over the 49ers. The Gauchos also snapped their four-game skid in the process, which equalled the longest in school history. UCSB also won for the first time in six tries over a ranked opponent this season.

Sandell had 19 kills with eight digs and two blocks in the win over UC Irvine on Saturday. She swung at a .385 (19-4-39) clip and chipped in a pair of service aces. The two wins in The Thunderdome came after the Gauchos had opened the season with 11 straight matches on the road.

Sandell has had double-figure kills in all 13 matches this year and has led the team in putaways all but once.