INDIANAPOLIS – Tiffin and Cedarville were road warriors en route to collecting offensive and defensive awards for Great Midwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Players of the Week on Monday.
 
The Dragons and Yellow Jackets are among a handful of teams off to a 2-0 start in the conference schedule, which is non divisional for 2019.
 
Hillsdale, ranked 18th by the AVCA, went 2-0 on its league opening homestand and Findlay had similar success against the same opponents as the Chargers.
 
Even then, seven teams are undefeated through the first weekend of league play, including Walsh, Kentucky Wesleyan and Malone, each 1-0.
 
Offensive Player of the Week
Jenna Huffman
Tiffin
Middle Blocker
Senior
McComb, OH (McComb HS)
 
After being on the short end of grueling five-set finishes vs. UIndy and Illinois Springfield to end the main stretch of the non-conference schedule, the Dragons righted the ship on the road at Lake Erie and Ursuline.
 
Huffman earned all-conference and all-region honors last year in Tiffin’s first season as a full member institution and is putting up similar numbers this season.
 
Huffman led the team in kills in both Great Midwest victories, including putting down 26 against Ursuline. She averaged 4.88 kills per game and 3.88 digs per set all while hitting over .300 on the week.
 
Huffman also contributed four blocks and a pair of service aces in the two matches. She has now won four conference player of the week awards in less than two seasons for the Dragons.
 
The senior is the current league leader in kills per set and points per set and her hitting percentage of .268 is borderline ready to crack the top 10.
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Emily Ward
Cedarville
Defensive Specialist
Sophomore
Sugar Grove, IL (Aurora Christian HS/Auburn-Montgomery)
 
Following the momentum of teammate Liene Miller, Ward is the second straight Yellow Jacket to be selected for top conference defensive weekly honors.
 
Cedarville is among a handful of teams logjammed in first place in the conference standings after making trips to Ursuline and Lake Erie for wins.
 
Ward came through with 33 total digs in both matches combined to go with three aces and five assists.
 
Ward currently leads the 7-5 Yellow Jackets with 3.48 digs per set and as 153 total in 44 sets. She transferred into the program from the Division II level at Auburn-Montgomery.
 
CU finishes up its current road stint at Ohio Valley and Alderson Broaddus later this week to start the month of October.