INDIANAPOLIS - The divisional races are tightening as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Players of the Week for the East and West were distributed on Monday afternoon by the league.
Lake Erie has a full game lead on Walsh at the top of the East Division while Tiffin and Hillsdale remain deadlocked at 5-0 in the West Division, both programs in the midst of notable win streaks.
The Dragons are on a seven-match win streak and have emerged as divisional contenders in their first year with the Great Midwest. At 10-3 overall, the true test for Tiffin will be on the 28th and 29th with back-to-back dates booked vs. West Division foes Hillsdale and Findlay.
Hillsdale went on the road in a rematch of last year’s conference championship bout and emerged in four-set final over No. 24-ranked Findlay. The Chargers have now won 20 consecutive conference matches since joining the league as a full member and reigning Great Midwest Player of the Year Paige VanderWall enjoyed a career milestone with her 1,000th career kill last week.
Speaking of milestones, Ursuline setter Katelyn Selleny is currently second in league history in career assists and is quickly approaching the 3,000 number in the passing game. Only one other player has exceeded 3,000 assists in their career (Kristin Cardwell – Cedarville).
East Division Player of the Week
Lauren Loucks
Walsh
Outside Hitter
Junior
Oregon, OH (Cardinal Stritch HS)
Regardless of division, Loucks paced the conference in overall hitting percentage and kills per set during the week as the Cavaliers took care of business against Davis & Elkins and Alderson Broaddus at home.
A 2017 second team all-conference selection, the junior outside tallied 29 kills on just 51 swings while hitting a combined .471.
Loucks powered home 13 kills on a flawless 21 attempts (with no attack errors) against D&E and also came up with a pair of block assists.
In Walsh’s second straight-decision of the week, Loucks delivered 16 kills on 30 attack attempts and contributed a service ace.
Walsh improved to 7-6 overall and the Cavaliers are looking to build off of last year’s postseason run that included a trip to the conference tourney semifinals.
With her efforts, Loucks is now ranked third in the league in kills per set (3.53) and sixth in points per set.
West Division Player of the Week
Lindsey Mertz
Hillsdale
Setter
Sophomore
Frankenmuth, MI (Frankenmuth HS)
Pocketing her second career conference weekly honor from the setter position is Mertz, who helped direct the streaking Chargers to three conference victories.
The reigning Great Midwest and AVCA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year racked up 131 assists in 11 sets played, for an average of almost 12 per game.
Mertz delivered 53 assists in four sets against Cedarville, two shy of career high 55 done twice as a freshman.
She followed that up on the road with 43 more against nationally-ranked Findlay and set her teammates up for 35 assists at Ohio Dominican.
Mertz also had eight kills and 19 digs (1.73 per set) and even added four blocks. She is currently the league leader in assists per set at 11.35.
Setter is arguably one of the deepest positions in the conference with some talented table setters on every roster throughout the league.