Siena Sweeps MAAC Volleyball Awards
MAAC Sports
Player of the Week
Hayley Howell – Siena
Jr., S, 5-10, Tucson, AZ/Salpointe Catholic
Howell was sensational in a perfect 3-0 week that saw Siena take over first place in the MAAC. The junior setter averaged 11.1 assists and 2.8 digs per set while hitting .582 with 10 kills in 17 swings without an error. She began the week with a career-high 54 assists and added five kills as Siena beat Binghamton in five sets in its final non-league match of the year. She followed that performance up with a brilliant effort in a match-up against first place Rider, tallying 36 assists and 10 digs against the Broncs, while orchestrating a dominant 3-0 (25-18, 25-18 and 25-18) sweep. Howell capped off the week with 32 assists and 13 digs – her 11th double-double of the season – in a sweep of Saint Peter’s that gave Siena sole possession of first place. Howell added six blocks and served the Saints on several big runs in the three wins. Howell leads the MAAC with 10.4 assists per set.
Libero of the Week
Kalehua Katagiri- Siena
Jr., LIB, 5-7, Kaneohe, HI/Kamehameha (Kaplama)
Katagiri continued her stellar year with three big performances in a perfect week that saw Siena take over first place in the MAAC. She averaged five digs per set and posted a .982 reception percentage with just one error in 57 serve receives. Katagiri began the week with 26 digs and a career-high five aces in a five-set victory at Binghamton. She was all over the floor in the Saints’ huge sweep of Rider, leading all players with 20 digs while receiving 13 serves without an error. Katagiri influence wasn’t readily shown on the stat sheet as her precise passes from the backrow setup Siena’s efficient attack and kept several rallies alive. She is second in thethe conference with 4.94 digs per set.
Rookie of the Week
Darby Taylor- Siena
Fr., OH/RS, 6-2, Thorold, ON/Eden
Taylor has been a difference maker since returning to the rotation, and she had three big efforts in a perfect week as Siena took over first place in the MAAC. She averaged three kills per set and hit .278 on the outside as the Saints topped Binghamton, Rider and Saint Peter’s. Taylor matched her career-high with 15 kills in the five-set win at Binghamton. She followed that effort up with 11 kills in just 22 swings against Rider, including five of seven attacks without an error in the decisive third set. Taylor finished the weekend with an efficient effort against Saint Peter’s registering seven kills without an error in 21 attacks