Helping their teams continue to roll along in Big West play, representatives from UC Davis and Long Beach State took home this week’s women’s volleyball honors.
Squyres Leads The Way For UC Davis
For the third time in the last five weeks, UC Davis junior Kaylin Squyres (Rocklin, Calif./Whitney HS) notched Big West Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week accolades.
Squyres spearheaded the efforts as the Aggies won a tight five-set affair over UC Santa Barbara and took care of Cal Poly in four. The wins improved UC Davis to 7-3 in the Big West, good for third place.
The middle blocker led UC Davis in kills and total swings on each night, missing her career high (25) by one both times out. The 24 kills in each match marked the fifth and sixth times this season that she exceeded the 20-kill plateau.
Squyres hit a blistering .667 (11-1-15) in the first set against Cal Poly, a program high for kills in a set during the Aggies’ Big West era. She did not allow an ace in 26 receptions in Friday’s marathon against UCSB. She also had a double-double in each match with 11 digs against the Gauchos and 13 more versus the Mustangs.
Others nominated: Danetta Boykin (CSUN); Jenelle Hudson (Long Beach State); Ali Barbeau (UC Santa Barbara); Nikki Taylor (Hawai‘i)
Long Beach State Remains Undefeated With Help From Murray
Middle blocker Ashley Murray (Torrance, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS) hit. 455 to aid Long Beach State in its season series sweeping four-set win over CSUN to earn Big West Women’s Volleyball Freshman Player of the Week kudos.
Murray had 12 kills with just two errors in 22 attempts to continue her strong hitting efficiency for the season. She ranks fourth in the Big West with a .331 hitting percentage.
She also provided three big solo blocks to go along with three block assists, and was the high-point scorer for the 49ers as the team stayed undefeated in Big West play at 9-0.
Others nominated: Aima Eichie (UC Davis); Amanda Press (UC Riverside); Chanel Hoffman (UC Santa Barbara)
Jackson Scoops Way To Defensive Award
Long Beach State senior Tyler Jackson (Long Beach, Calif./Lakewood HS) garnered her third Big West Women’s Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week award this season with a match-high 22 digs in a four-set win at CSUN.
Jackson improved her season average to 4.08 digs per set, which ranks fifth-best in the Big West. The effort represented Jackson’s fifth match with 20 or more digs. In Big West play, Jackson ranks third in digs per set (4.32).
Others nominated: Paige Reed (Cal State Fullerton); Katie Quinn (UC Davis); Arden Davis (UC Irvine); Ali Spindt (UC Santa Barbara); Savanah Kahakai (Hawai‘i)