IRVINE, Calif. – A pair of Aggies were represented on the Big West Conference Weekly awards list as sophomore
Olivia Utterback was named the Offensive Player of the Week, while
Casi Newman was tabbed the Setter of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
Both honors are career firsts as Utterback was recognized by the conference last season as the Freshman of the Week. They join teammate
Shira Lahav as Aggies to earn Big West honors this season.
The Aggies have been on fire in the second half of conference play, winning three in a row and notching victories in five of their last six matches.
Utterback posted two matches of 20-or-more kills this past week, averaging 5.0 per set in leading the Aggies in the kills category in both contests and, more importantly, to two wins.
Against the second-ranked team in the Big West in UCSB, the sophomore drilled a career-best 25 kills and hit .339, while adding 14 digs, two service aces and three blocks. Two days later, she recorded her second career 20-kill night with a 20-kill performance against CSUN. The Indiana native hit .425 and tallied nine digs with a service ace.
Newman posted a career-high 61 assists with just two errors in the win over UCSB and added 12 digs and two kills. Against CSUN on Senior Day, the sophomore tallied three kills, 41 assists and seven digs. For the week, the San Clemente native averaged 11.33 assists per contest and has eclipsed the 40-assist mark 15 times this season.
UC Davis will conclude its conference slate this weekend in back-to-back contests on the road. The Ags will face Long Beach State on Friday, Nov. 25 and then play Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.