WASHINGTON -- The Atlantic 10 Conference has named Dayton junior Liana Sarkissian its Volleyball Player of the Week. Loyola Chicago freshman Jae Fitting was chosen as the league’s Defensive Player of the Week. For the second week in a row, Duquesne freshman Emersen Schrom was selected as Rookie of the Week. The awards were announced Monday and are for games played Sept. 9-15.
Sarkissian was superb for the Flyers yet again, averaging 3.36 kills per set while hitting .408 and adding four service aces and a 1.09 blocks per set mark in Dayton’s three matches this weekend. The middle blocker had 37 total kills, with a season-high 14 against Marquette, to go along with a career-best five digs against host Western Kentucky. The Greenwich, Conn. native averaged 4.36 points per set. Sarkissian was named to the WKU Hyatt Place Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Fitting helped Loyola to a 1-2 overall record at the Loyola Invitational. The Cedarburg, Wis. native posted 47 digs, 13 assists, and six service aces over the three-game stretch. The freshman recorded three straight games with double-digit digs, tallying 10 against Utah in the home opener, 19 in a sweep over Northeastern with a perfect reception percentage, and another 18 vs. Utah in the closer. Overall, Fitting averaged 4.7 digs per set.
Schrom helped Duquesne go 2-1 on the weekend at the Comfort Inn-Vitational hosted by Morehead State. The now two-time Rookie of the Week averaged 4.25 points per set, 3.50 kills and .067 blocks per set while carding a .280 hitting percentage. Schrom totaled 42 kills, 8.0 blocks, and five service aces over the weekend, opening the invitational with 14 kills and a .294 hitting percentage while collecting 5.0 blocks and two service aces. Schrom followed that up with 16 kills and a .375 hitting percentage while tallying four digs and 2.0 blocks in a 3-0 sweep over Evansville. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native ended the weekend with 12 kills, four digs, two aces, and 1.0 blocks in a five-set win over Eastern Michigan. The freshman has registered seven straight games with double digit kills and was named to the All-Tournament Team.