The weekly volleyball honors were bestowed upon Long Beach State senior Bre Mackie, UC Santa Barbara freshman Chanel Hoffman and UC Irvine senior Allison Lee.
Mackie’s Career Night Fuels Victory Over No. 21 Hawai‘i
Long Beach State senior Bre Mackie (Redding, Calif./Central Valley HS) delivered a career-best effort in a five-set victory over No. 21 Hawai‘i to earn the Big West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week award.
Mackie’s career-highs of 20 kills and nine total blocks helped the 49ers snap a seven-match losing streak to UH and defeat the Rainbow Wahine for the first time since 2000. She produced a .327 hitting percentage with just four errors on a team-high 49 swings. The victory solidified first place for the 49ers in the Big West at 4-0.
She punctuated her solid all-around effort by putting down the final kill of the match, which secured the first 20-kill performance of her career. In addition, she had a career-high tying eight digs, which left her just two digs and one block short of a triple-double.
In the past two weeks, significant contributions from Mackie have spurred the 49ers to victories over two of the top Big West contenders in CSUN and Hawai‘i.
Others nominated: McKenna Painton (Cal State Fullerton); Casey Hinger (CSUN); Kendall Walbrecht (UC Davis); Arielle Manz (UC Irvine)
Freshman Hoffman Leads UCSB Effort
UC Santa Barbara outside hitter Chanel Hoffman (Corona, Calif./Santiago HS) turned in an outstanding all-around effort in a 1-1 conference split to garner Big West Women’s Volleyball Freshman Player of the Week acclaim.
Hoffman averaged 3.22 kills, 2.22 digs, 1.11 blocks and 0.33 service aces per set as the Gauchos lost a tough five-set affair to UC Irvine and rebounded to beat Cal State Fullerton in four. She also hit an efficient .419 against the Titans and finished with a .274 hitting percentage for the week.
She tallied a double-double against the Anteaters with 14 kills and 11 digs to go along with two aces and four total blocks.
Hoffman slammed 15 kills on 31 swings with only two errors to power UCSB’s attack against CSF. Her nine digs just missed her second consecutive double-double. In addition, she recorded a personal-best six block assist. In the second set at Fullerton, she keyed an 8-0 run at the service line, giving the Gauchos their first lead in the game.
Others nominated: Raeann Greisen (Cal Poly); Niki Withers (Cal State Fullerton); Lauren Conati (CSUN); Ashley Murray (Long Beach State); Erika Conners (UC Davis)
Lee Spearheads UCI Defensive Effort In Big West Sweep
UC Irvine senior Allison Lee (San Pedro, Calif./Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) did a little bit of everything in notching Big West Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Her primary contribution came on the defensive end where she averaged 4.88 digs per set in back-to-back wins over UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly. But the 6-0 outside hitter also tallied 20 kills, four service aces and and four block assists to her ledger over the two matches.
Lee posted a career-high 24 digs in a five-set win over the Gauchos, chipping in 13 kills for her ninth double-double of the season. She piled on 15 more digs against the Mustangs in the straight set victory.
Lee ranks second on the Anteaters with 239 digs.
Others nominated: Nicole Kessler (Cal Poly); McKenna Painton (Cal State Fullerton); Kelcie Randazzo (CSUN); Ashley Murray (Long Beach State); Megan Lancaster (UC Davis); Chanel Hoffman (UC Santa Barbara)