INDIANAPOLIS – The regular season continued as Great Midwest Athletic Conference Players of the Week awards were distributed for the East and West Divisions on Monday afternoon.
 
Another heavy dose of tournament action on neutral floors was the theme around the league with conference play starting to pick up for everyone this week.
 
Hillsdale, No. 24 Findlay and Ohio Valley, are the only teams to have conference matches under their belt.
 
East Division Player of the Week
Morgan Briggs
Lake Erie
Outside/Defensive Specialist
Junior
Cadillac, MI (Cadillac HS)
 
By the numbers, Briggs had a huge week for the Storm as they went 3-1 during tourney action in Indiana, Pa., with wins against Holy Family, Roberts Wesleyan and host IUP.
 
Briggs averaged over seven digs (7.2) per set to lead all players in the conference and with 14 sets, played, totaled over 100 digs on the week in just four matches.
 
At 5-2 overall, Lake Erie is thriving under first-year head coach Kyle Peck as the Storm attempt to defending their East Division crown.
 
Briggs had 35 digs and five service aces in the five-set win over Holy Family. The single-match dig total is among the best top-10 efforts in league history.
 
Briggs also dug out 28 attack attempts vs. West Liberty, recorded 21 against Roberts Wesleyan and finished with 17 against Indiana (PA).
 
West Division Player of the Week
Paige VanderWall
Hillsdale
Right Side
Senior
Kentwood, MI (East Kentwood HS)
 
The springy NCAA All-American is waging her campaign to defend Great Midwest Player of the Year honors as the Chargers have started 4-3 against one of the toughest schedules in the country.
 
VanderWall had a stellar week with an absurd .519 hitting percentage while finishing with 45 kills and accounting for 5.56 points per set.
 
VanderWall paced the league in all three statistical categories regardless of division as the Chargers faced Ohio Valley, Ashland and UMSL, regional action.
 
VanderWall put down nine kills on just 14 swings as Hillsdale swept OVU for the first conference win of the season. She followed the next day with 20 kills on just 32 attempts (.562) in a four-set final against Ashland.
 
She closed out the week against Missouri St.-Louis with 16 kills and seven digs while attacking at a plus-.450 clip. VanderWall also averaged two digs per set and contributed four service aces.