ESU's Shepard, Liu Sweep Weekly Honors

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Emporia State teammates Arica Shepard and Ting Liu have been named MIAA Volleyball Student-Athletes of the Week for the week of Oct. 13-17 as selected by a conference SID panel. It is the fourth hitter of the week award this season for Shepard and the third specialist of the week honor for Liu.

MIAA VOLLEYBALL HITTER OF THE WEEK
Arica Shepard, OH, Emporia State
Shepard averaged a double-double for the week with 4.18 kills per set and 4.09 digs per set. The senior from Rossville, Kan., finished with 46 total kills and 45 total digs as she averaged 15.3 kills and 15.0 digs per match for the week. Shepard hit .398 for the week with three blocks and averaged 4.32 points per set. Against Southwest Baptist, she had 17 kills and eight digs for the Hornets while hitting a season high .640. She had eight digs and three assists for the Hornets. She had six kills in the first set and eight kills in the final set. Against No. 7 Washburn, Shepard had a double-double with 17 kills and 21 digs in ESU's 3-2 win. She had six kills in ESU's opening set win. Against Fort Hays State, Shepard had a second straight double-double with 12 kills and 16 digs while hitting .458. She had the first two and last kills in ESU's opening set win. She had five kills in the second set. Shepard now has 1,847 career kills, passing Pittsburg State's Sammi Williams and MWSU's Barb Bell to move into sixth all-time in the MIAA. Shepard is already the ESU career record holder in kills, double figure kill matches and 20-plus kill matches.

Others nominated: Abby Gruenbacher, UCM; Meghan Voelz, MWSU; Sara Falcone, NWMSU; Ashley Jurgensmeyer, SBU; Megan Sharpe, TSU; Mollie Lacy, WU.

MIAA VOLLEYBALL SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Ting Liu, S, Emporia State
Liu had 126 assists on the week, averaging 11.45 while adding 27 digs, nine kills and eight blocks. The junior from Beijing, China, averaged 1.27 points per set. Against Southwest Baptist, Liu had 35 assists while adding two blocks on the night. ESU scored 11 points on the night off her service. Against No. 7 Washburn, Liu had 54 assists, eight digs, five blocks and four kills in ESU's win. Against Fort Hays State, she had only her second three-set double-double of the year with 37 assists and 13 digs. She added two kills and a service ace. Liu served for the final two points of the second set and served for three straight points in the final set.

Others nominated: Rachel Fister, UCM; Madison Benton, MWSU; Laira Akin, NWMSU; Brianna Wallace, SBU; Ashley Petak, TSU; Kate Hampson, WU.

2009 MIAA VOLLEYBALL STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
(HITTER; SPECIALIST)
Aug. 28-29: Arica Shepard, OH, ESU; Emily Myers, S, UNO
Sept. 4-5: Brianne Boner, MH, ESU; Ting Liu, S, ESU
Sept. 9-12: Pamela Cartagena, OH, PSU; Emily Myers, S, UNO
Sept. 15-20: Arica Shepard, OH, ESU; Ting Liu, S, ESU
Sept. 22-26: Ellen Thommes, MB, UNO; Emily Myers, S, UNO
Sept. 30-Oct. 3: Arica Shepard, OH, ESU; Kate Hampson, S, WU
Oct. 6-11: Mollie Lacy, MH, WU; Kate Hampson, S, WU
Oct. 13-17: Arica Shepard, OH, ESU; Ting Liu, S, ESU