Trio of Wolverines Pick Up Big Ten Weekly Honors
10/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The University of Michigan volleyball team earned three Big Ten Conference weekly honors, the conference announced on Monday afternoon (Oct. 13). Sophomore Abby Cole (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven) was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, senior Lexi Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) earned Setter of the Week honors and freshman Adeja Lambert (Rockford, Ill./Keith Country Day) was tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
Cole, a middle blocker, averaged 4.50 kills per set and hit a blistering .565 in sweeps of Iowa (Oct. 10) and No. 8 Nebraska (Oct. 12). She put down eight kills without an error on 17 attempts in the win over the Hawkeyes on Friday. Cole also contributed to four of Michigan's 11 blocks on the night. She then came back on Sunday and tallied 19 kills, just one error and a .621 hitting percentage against the Cornhuskers. Cole had a service ace and nine kills in the marathon 32-30 victory in the second set. On the season, Cole is averaging 3.39 kills and 1.08 blocks per set.
Dannemiller averaged 13.33 assists per set, had 18 digs (three per set) and four blocks in Michigan's two wins on the weekend. She posted 34 assists to go along with seven digs and four blocks in the win over the Hawkeyes. She then had 46 assists (15.33 per set) and made it a double-double with 11 digs in a 3-0 win over the Cornhuskers. She also had three kills on five attempts and a service ace vs. the Cornhuskers. Dannemiller earned Setter of the Week honors for the fourth time in her career.
Lambert averaged 4.33 kills and 3.17 digs per set in the two matches on the weekend. The outside hitter posted her first career double-double (13 kills, 10 digs) in the win over Iowa. She led the team in kills, tied for the team lead in digs and led in both blocks (5) and in service aces (2). Lambert then matched her kill total from Friday in Sunday's win over the Cornhuskers. She added nine digs and a block in the sweep. On the year, Lambert is averaging 2.45 kills and 1.43 digs per set.
Cole earns Michigan's first Big Ten Player of the Week award since Jennifer Cross on Oct. 15, 2012. Lambert collects the Maize and Blue's first Freshman of the Week honor since Cole on Sept. 9, 2013. In other Big Ten weekly awards, Ohio State's Valerie Leon was named the Defensive Player of the Week.
Michigan starts a four-match road trip this Friday (Oct. 17) for the Wolverines' first-ever meeting with Rutgers. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside College Ave. Gym in Piscataway, N.J.
