BEVERLY, Mass. - Coming off a 3-2 week in which the Gulls defeated the highest nationally ranked foe in program history, Mackenzie Kennedy (Andover, Mass.) and Colleen McAvoy (Coventry, Conn.) were named Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Libero and Player of the Week, respectively, as was announced by the Conference office earlier today.
Kennedy was outstanding in the 3-2 week for the Gulls, leading them first to a 3-2 win over regional power MIT, before anchoring the defense in wins against Rhodes and #14 Christopher Newport at the Berry National Invitational. For her efforts at the Berry National Invitational, Kennedy was named to the All-Tournament Team. The senior averaged 5.42 digs/set for the week as she started the week with 17 digs in the team's 3-2 win over MIT, only their second in program history. Against nationally-ranked opponents this week, the senior posted 27 in the 3-1 loss to #20 Mary Hardin-Baylor, 25 in the 3-0 sweep of #14 Christopher Newport, and 13 in the 3-0 loss to #9 Berry for an average of 6.5 digs/set. Kennedy also added 18 assists and four aces on the week.
For McAvoy, the reigning AVCA Region Rookie of the Year was named CCC Player of the Week after leading the Endicott offense during the 3-2 week. For the week, McAvoy hit .346 while averaging 2.63 kills/set and .68 blocks/set. The middle was at her best against nationally-ranked opponents, hitting at a .354 clip while averaging 3.1 kills/set and .70 blocks/set, hitting .380 or better in three of the four matches at the Berry National Invitational. McAvoy 11 kills against both #9 Berry and #20 Mary Hardin-Baylor, while hitting a season-best 15 against Rhodes, and nine kills and a .412 average in the sweep of #14 Christopher Newport. The sophomore's best blocking effort came against Mary Hardin-Baylor as she totaled five in the 3-1 setback.
The Gulls return to action on Friday when they host Tufts in the MIT Invitational at 6:30 PM. The remaining matches on Saturday, against Wellesley and Geneseo, will be played at MIT in Cambridge, Mass.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)