Quinnipiac's Kloos, Pansari & Rider's Aldaya Take Home Weekly Awards
MAAC Sports
Offensive Player of the Week
Elizabeth Kloos, Quinnipiac
Jr., MH, Munster, IN/Munster
Kloos hit an impressive .383 on the week to lead the Bobcats to a 3-2 record, including wins over 7-1 La Salle and 9-1 Providence at the Friar Classic, giving Quinnipiac a share of the tournament title. Kloos had a career-high 16 kills in 27 attempts in a four-set win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday, and then hit .474 in the Providence win with 10 kills in 19 attempts and only one error, helping to snap a nine-match win streak for the Friars. She also came up big in the second set to tie the match 1-1, accounting for the final three QU points with a block and two kills, after picking up the kill on match point against La Salle on Friday. Kloos also contributed 17 blocks and a team-best seven service aces on the week.
Libero of the Week
Emma Aldaya, Rider
Jr., Libero, Prospect Park, PA/Merion Mercy Academy
Aldaya averaged 4.00 digs per set, as Rider won two of three matches at the Boston College Inviational. Against BC out of the ACC, Aldaya had 18 digs as Rider pushed the Eagles to five sets before losing 3-2 (16-14 in the final set) Against UMass Lowell, Aldaya had 13 digs in a 3-0 win and against Fairleigh Dickinson, she also had 13 digs in a 3-0 win that gave head coach Christopher Feliciano career win #200.
Rookie of the Week
Maria Pansari, Quinnipiac
Fr., Setter, Whitehouse Station, NJ/Hunterdon Central
Pansari had a spectacular week running the Quinnipiac offense to help the Bobcats to a 3-2 record, including wins over La Salle (7-1) and Providence (9-1). Pansari averaged almost 11 assists per set (10.86), and reached the 50-assist mark three times, setting a new career high with 52 against FDU on Wednesday, breaking that with 55 against Holy Cross and adding 50 in a big win over Providence, which came in with a nine-match win streak. Pansari now averages over 10 assists per set on the year, as Quinnipiac is now 8-5, more wins than the program has had since the 2002 team finished 10-15.