WVB: Two VolleyDons Honored By League

– Fort Wayne’s Megan Steenhuysen and North Dakota State’s Megan Lambertson were named The Summit League's Offensive Volleyball Players of the Week, while Fort Wayne’s Tessa McGill was named the Defensive Player of the Week for their performances Sept. 24-30.

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Megan Steenhuysen, Fort Wayne
Sr. // S // Grand Rapids, Mich.
Steenhuysen captures her fourth career Offensive Player of the Week honor and first of the season after guiding the Mastodons to their second-straight undefeated (2-0) week in league play.  Fort Wayne opened the weekend with a sweep of South Dakota State as the senior setter dished out 46 assists.  She came back the next match with a 65-assist performance in the five-set victory over North Dakota State.  For the week, Steenhuysen tallied 111 assists, averaging 13.88 assists per set, 30 digs (3.75 digs per set), four blocks, two kills and two service aces.  The Grand Rapids, Mich., native leads the league with 12.09 assists per set on the season.

Megan Lambertson, North Dakota State
Sr. // MH // Litchfield, Minn.
Lambertson garners her third career Offensive Player of the Week award and first of the season after hitting .500 or better in back-to-back matches.  She led the Bison to a four-set win over Oakland with 16 kills and just two errors in 27 attempts for a .519 clip.  The senior middle hitter bettered that performance with a career-high 21 kills in a five-set match against Fort Wayne.  On the week, Lambertson hit .508 with 37 kills, averaging 4.11 per set, 13 digs, nine blocks, two assists, one service ace and 44 points.

Also nominated: Kaitlyn Hickey, IUPUI; Emily Lucas, Kansas City; Ciara Schultz, Oakland; Megan Schmale, Omaha; Kim Bulaga, South Dakota.

Previous winners: Aug. 27 – Kelli Fiegen, SDSU; Sept. 4 – Meghan Bray, OU; Sept. 10 – Kaitlin Klingemann, SDSU; Sept. 17 – Kendall Kritenrbink, USD; Sept. 24 – Emily Spencer, IPFW.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tessa McGill, Fort Wayne
Sr. // DS // Muncie, Ind.
McGill collects her seventh career Defensive Player of the Week nod and second this season after helping the Mastodons to their second consecutive undefeated (2-0) week in league play.  The senior defensive specialist recorded two matches of 20-plus digs, with 20 in a sweep over South Dakota State and 29 in a five-set win against North Dakota State.  Her 29 digs against the Bison tied her season high.  For the week, McGill recorded 49 digs, averaging 6.12 per set, seven assists, three service aces and two kills.  She holds a league-leading 6.03 digs per set on the season.

Also nominated: Beth Howard, IUPUI; Taryn Miller, Kansas City; Andrea Henning, North Dakota State; Alli Kirk, Oakland; Amy Roberts, Omaha; Riley Haug, South Dakota; Kelli Fiegen, South Dakota State.

Previous winners: Aug. 27 – Tessa McGill, IPFW; Sept. 4 – Kelli Fiegen, SDSU; Sept. 10 – Alli Kirk, OU; Sept. 17 – Shay Birath, SDSU; Sept. 24 - Bridget Murphy, WIU.