Murray State University Athletics
Giustino, Fernandez Earn OVC Honors for Second Time This Season
10/29/2018 2:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
For the second week in a row, the Murray State volleyball team boasts two Ohio Valley Conference Players of the Week, as junior Rachel Giustino claimed Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore Becca Fernandez took home Defensive Player of the Week.
It is the second time this season that Giustino and Fernandez have won the award on the same week, as they both earned the honors for the week ending October 7. It is also the fifth and sixth overall player of the week awards the Racers have earned this year after senior Dacia Brown and sophomore Ashley McBee won Offensive Player and Setter of the week last week.
For Giustino, it is the third time in her career she has earned the honor. She led all OVC players in kills over the weekend with 5.00 kills per set while also averaging 5.57 digs per set. In a four-set win over Southeast Missouri, the Algonquin, Illinois native recorded her first-career 20-20 match as she tallied 20 kills and a season-high 26 digs. Against UT Martin, she racked up 15 kills and 13 digs in a sweep for her 12th straight double-double. Giustino also notched six blocks and two service aces for a total of 41 points in the two matches.
Giustino currently leads the OVC in kills, averaging 4.09 kills per set during conference play and 4.14 kills per set overall.
Fernandez averaged an OVC-best 7.14 digs per set for a total of 50 digs in the two wins. She racked up 28 digs against SEMO and followed that up with a 22-dig performance against UT Martin. The Carol Steam, Illinois native anchored a Racer defense that held SEMO and UT Martin to a combined .126 hitting percentage. It is also her third time in her career she has earned the award.
During conference play, Fernandez is averaging 5.66 digs per set, second-best in the OVC. Overall, she is averaging 4.78 digs per set, fourth-best in the conference.
The Racers are back in action, Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they host Austin Peay in the Battle of the Border. Murray State will be going for its 10th straight win.
