Villa Maria Grad Sarah Lauro Earns MAC Volleyball Player of the Week Honors
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — Susquehanna University freshman middle hitter Sarah Lauro of Collegeville (Villa Maria Academy) is the Middle Atlantic Conference Women's Volleyball Player of the Week for leading her team to its best week of the season, going 3-1 while nearly clinching a spot in the conference post-season tournament for just the second time in program history. Its lone loss was a 3-1 decision to Wellesley (Mass.) College, which is ranked 10th in the latest NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Poll and is one of only two undefeated teams in the D-III ranks.
The 5-10 Lauro also had the best week of her rookie collegiate season, recording 51 kills in 17 games (3.00 per game) while hitting at a team best .328 percentage. She also had a team high 13 solo blocks (0.76 per game) and added 28 digs (1.65 per game) and seven service aces. Her best match came in the team's shutout of Bridgewater State in its last match while finishing second at the Wellesley Tournament as she hit at .571 with 12 kills and no errors in 21 total attacks, also recording four digs and four aces.
"This was a pivotal week for us and Sarah was a big key to that. She's starting to mature into a steady middle hitter on the collegiate level and really recognizing blocks and reading the other teams' coverages better now," said sixth-year Susquehanna head coach Bill Switala. "She's going to be a key player in our stretch run."
For the season, Lauro has the team's top hitting percentage at .234 while standing second in total kills with 177 (2.13 per game). She also leads the squad in blocks with 75 (0.90 per game), with 53 of them being solo, while posting 98 digs (1.18 per game) and 27 service aces (0.33 per game).
Now 11-12 overall, 4-2 and in fourth-place in the Commonwealth League, Susquehanna will face Division III's other undefeated team Thursday when it plays at defending MAC champion and top-ranked Juniata (23-0). The top four teams make the MAC post-season tournament and Susquehanna presently has a game lead over Elizabethtown for that fourth spot.
| The James W. Garrett Sports Complex, Publications, and Sports Information |
| Hours: 8:15 - 4:30 M-F (Academic year) 8:00 - 4:00 (Summer) | |
| Phone: 717-372-4119 Fax: 717-372-4048 E-mail: supubrel@susqu.edu |