Sept. 17, 2012

2012 Volleyball Weekly Report

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Atlantic 10 Conference has named Duquesne junior Allison Foschia its Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week and Butler sophomore Erica Stahl the league's Defensive Player of the Week. VCU freshman Martina Samadan earned Rookie of the Week honors. The league announced the three awards Monday for matches played Sept. 10-16.

Foschia, an outside hitter from Northfield Center, Ohio, had a strong offensive week to help the Dukes to a 2-1 record, the only loss coming against No. 4-ranked Penn State. She totaled 42 kills, averaging 4.2 per set while hitting at a .326 clip in the Penn State Classic to earn All-Tournament honors. The junior, who won the offensive award for the second time this season, had 13 kills in a 3-0 win over Eastern Illinois, hitting .423. She upped her kills to a career-high 21 in a 3-1 victory over Portland. She also had four assists and an ace. Foschia also averaged 2.4 digs for the week.

Stahl was a brick wall for the Bulldogs at the net, averaging 1.79 blocks per set in a 3-1 week for Butler. The sophomore middle blocker had 25 total blocks, including four solos. A native of Indianapolis, Ind., she tallied five total blocks against both Wright State and UC Davis and she had six versus Kent State. Her most impressive performance came against Southeast Missouri State, when she recorded nine total blocks to help the Bulldogs win a five-set match. The nine blocks versus SEMO and the six against Kent State marked two of the seven times this season she's recorded six or more blocks in a match.

A middle blocker, Samadan was named MVP of the West Point Challenge, the fourth times she's been named to an All-Tournament team this season. She hit at a .511 clip, tallying 27 kills in a trio of wins for VCU. The freshman improved each match, hitting .333 in a three-set win over Albany, .597 in four sets versus Army and .636 against Sacred Heart. Samadan also had 13 blocks to average 1.30 per set. She had four total blocks, including three solo against Army and she totaled seven versus Sacred Heart. A native of Split, Croatia, it's the second straight week Samadan earned the rookie award. She also was named Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season.