Huskers Sweep Big 12 Weekly Awards

Lincoln ? It was a clean sweep for the Nebraska volleyball team in the Big 12’s weekly honors, as Sarah Pavan and Christina Houghtelling received the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players-of-the-Week awards, respectively for the matches of Aug. 20-26.

For Pavan, the Offensive Player of the Week is her sixth Big 12 weekly honor, while Houghtelling picks up her second conference certificate and becomes the first player to receive the league’s Defensive Player of the Week, as the award was instituted this fall.

Pavan was selected as the AVCA College Volleyball Showcase MVP after averaging 5.57 kills on .382 hitting, 2.00 digs, 1.00 blocks and 0.43 service aces per game. Against fifth-ranked UCLA on Saturday, she totaled a match-high 25 kills on .362 hitting, 12 digs and three blocks to lead Nebraska to its second AVCA Showcase crown in three years. Her 25 kills were the second-highest total of her career and the most by a Husker since 2004.  Against Tennessee in Friday’s season opener, she chipped in a match-high 14 kills on .417 hitting, four blocks and three aces against the Lady Vols.

Houghtelling was the defensive star in NU’s 2-0 weekend, averaging 5.00 digs and 0.86 blocks per game to the Husker effort in her first action since the 2005 season.  She compiled a career-high 23 digs and two blocks in NU’s victory over fifth-ranked UCLA in the AVCA.  Houghtelling surpassed her previous high of 20 (Oklahoma, 2005) to earn the 11th double-double of her career as she also recorded 10 kills against the Bruins. She played a major role in NU’s sweep of Tennessee on Friday, collecting a team-high 12 digs and adding four blocks, as NU held the Lady Vols to just .088 hitting.

2007 BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Aug. 27 --   Sarah Pavan, Nebraska, RS, Sr.       
           
2007 BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Aug. 27  -- Christina Houghtelling, Nebraska, OH, Sr.