OGDEN, Utah— After going 2-0 on the week and posting their 12th straight win, a pair of Vandal volleyball players have been recognized by the conference as Players of the Week.
Reece Carman takes home Offensive Player of the Week honors, while
Nikki Ball earns Defensive Player of the Week for the first time.
Carman led the Vandals to a 2-0 week in matches over Montana and Montana State. In the 3-0 win against Montana, Carman posted 12 kills with zero errors and a .522 clip. She added to her stellar week against the Bobcats, where her 19-kill (.500) and two error performance helped Idaho to a 3-1 victory at home. The senior averaged a .509 hitting percentage and 4.43 kills per set average over the course of two matches.
Ball was another critical piece in Idaho's successful week, as her defense was vital in the Vandals extending its winning streak to 12 matches. The redshirt freshman, who leads the league in blocks, helped Idaho hold its opponents to a .222 hitting percentage on the week. In the game against Montana, Ball had four block assists in the sweep. She followed that up with five block assists and a solo block in the four-set win over MSU. Ball averaged 1.43 blocks per set with no errors as she tallied ten blocked shots on the week.
This week's selections mark the first time this season that Idaho has swept the weekly honors, and it's the fourth and fifth honor for the Vandals in 2018. It is also Carman and Ball's first time receiving such recognition.
The Vandals sit atop the league standings after posting two wins on the week. Thursday Idaho travels to Northern Arizona to play the Lumberjacks at 6 p.m. PT before returning home for its final home game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. PT.
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho volleyball by following the team on Twitter and Instagram, @IdahoVolleyball.
For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com. Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals.
