By: Mark Wasik
KENNESAW, Ga. – Thanks to a 2-0 start to ASUN Conference play, a pair of Kennesaw State Owls have been named ASUN Volleyball Players of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.
Shelby Dennis was named the Defensive Player of the Week, while
McKinley Ferguson was selected as the Setter of the Week. They are the first Owls to be honored this season, and it's also the first career weekly honor for both players.
The duo helped the Owls to a 3-1 win over North Alabama on Sept. 23 and a thrilling 3-2 victory over Central Arkansas on Sept. 24. That moved KSU to 9-3 overall, and pushed its home match win streak to 11 games, which currently ranks as the 12
th-longest active win streak in the nation.
Dennis, a senior from Cincinnati, Ohio, totaled 46 digs over the two games, including a new career-high 27 against UNA, for a 6.75 dps average in that match. She also added two aces and seven assists in the conference opening victory. The next day in the win over UCA, she finished with a team-high 19 digs, and added one assist. For the week, Dennis averaged 5.11 dps while totaling eight assists and two aces. She currently paces the Owls with 3.78 dps.
Ferguson, a junior from Jasper, Ala., posted a second-straight double-double with 49 assists and 16 digs in the win over UNA. She also added six kills, a block and an assist in the match. The following day saw Ferguson set a new career-high with 61 assists in the victory over the Sugar Bears. It was a strong all-around game for Ferguson, as she also notched four kills, two aces, five digs and an impressive three block assists in the victory. Over the two games, she averaged 12.22 apg, 2.33 dps, 1.11 kps and totaled three aces and four blocks. Currently she is 46
th in the nation in assists per set at 10.2.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Owls will play their first conference road games of the season this weekend, as KSU takes on Liberty in Lynchburg, Va., on Friday at 6 pm, followed by a Saturday contest at new conference member Queens at 5 pm.
