PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Little East Conference (LEC) has announced its weekly award winners in women's volleyball and UMass Dartmouth saw three student-athletes honored once again for their contributions.
Emily Pogorelec was named the Defensive Player of the Week, while
Skye Peters earned Setter of the Week. Additionally,
Ashley Serverius took home Rookie of the Week honors.
Pogorelec, a senior defensive specialist and captain from Wayne, N.J., earned her fifth straight weekly honor after recording 56 digs over four victories last week for the Corsairs. In a 3-1 win over Roger Williams, she notched 15 digs, adding a kill and four assists. Pogorelec then posted a match-high 15 digs with a kill, an assist and two service aces in a 3-0 win at Bridgewater State on Friday.
The three-time LEC Defensive Player of the Year went on to record a match-best 15 digs with two kills and three assists in a 3-0 conference win at Vermont State Castleton, before adding a match-high 11 digs with two assists in a 3-0 victory over Mass. Maritime.
For the season, Pogorelec leads the team and conference in total digs with 406. She ranks second in the Little East in digs per set (4.83) and has now recorded at least 10 digs in 22 of 24 matches played.
Peters, a junior setter from Albuquerque, N.M., picks up her fifth Setter of the Week honor and second straight after an outstanding week that saw her record 81 total assists with a 6.23 assists per set average. She added five service aces, 24 digs and a block assist on the week.
Against the Hawks, Peters had a team-high 24 assists with an ace, 11 digs and a block assist. She then notched a match-best 20 assists with an ace and five digs in the win at Bridgewater State. Peters went on to post 14 assists in the win over the Spartans, finishing with a match-high 23 assists, two aces and two digs against the Buccaneers.
Peters, who ranks third in the LEC in overall assists with 497, is fifth in the conference in assists per set with a 5.92 average. She has posted at least 10 assists in 23 of 24 matches this season, including 14 with 20+ assists. A week earlier, Peters eclipsed the 1,500 career assists mark and now has 1,608 to her credit in 81 matches played.
Serverius, an outside hitter from Apollo Beach, Fla., nabbed her first weekly honor after recording 20 kills with 33 digs over four matches. She also added an assist and a service ace. Serverius opened the week against the Hawks with six kills, notching 15 digs as well.
Against Bridgewater State, Serverius had four digs with two kills, before posting 11 digs with six kills in the win at VTSU Castleton. She rounded out the week with six kills and three digs in the victory over the Buccaneers.
Through 24 matches this season – all starts – Serverius is fourth on the team in total kills with 113 (1.40 average). She has recorded eight assists with a service ace, while adding 153 digs. Additionally, Serverius has posted nine block assists on the year.
UMass Dartmouth (18-6; 5-0 LEC) returns to action on Wednesday, opening a critical week of LEC play against UMass Boston (11-10; 3-1 LEC). The Corsairs will host the Beacons at 7pm in Tripp Gym, before welcoming Eastern Connecticut State University (14-4; 3-1 LEC) on Saturday at 1pm. That game will mark the team's Senior Day celebration for Pogorelec and senior setter and captain
Sabrina Bordone.
