Viers Named AAC Volleyball Player of the Week

September 19, 2006

Wise, VA -- Even with a tough weekend, the Lady Cavs' Natasha Viers was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference women's volleyball "Player of the Week." Viers posted one double-double to pace the UVA-Wise attack on a 1-2 week for the team.

The junior from Abindgon, VA has keyed the UVA-Wise (4-7/1-3 AAC) keyed the frontline. She downed 53 kills with a .331 hitting percentage in 11 games over the weekend. The middle blocker added 37 digs, three aces, seven blocks and two assists. Viers best game of the three matches came when she recorded 27 kills, hitting .380, 24 digs, two assists, two aces and a block against Tennessee Wesleyan. She added 14 kills and five digs versus Bryan College and 12 kills, eight digs and five blocks in a 3-0 win over Covenant College.

After the opening three weeks of the volleyball season, Viers ranks second in kills per game (4.0k/gm) and third in hitting percentage (.308) of the AAC players. She leads the Lady Cavs with 156 kills, 4.0 kills/gm, .308 hitting percentage and 31 blocks. Viers was selected to the NAIA All-Region XII and All-AAC performer last season as a sophomore.

UVA-Wise has two home AAC matches starting tonight against Montreat College and Thursday evening entertaining Union College with 6:30 p.m. start times for both. UVA-Wise jumped back into the win column Saturday afternoon to record its first Appalachian Athletic Conference win. The Lady Cavs made short work of Covenant College, 3-0, after losing tight 3-2 match to Tennessee Wesleyan in the morning.

UVA-Wise went to 1-3 in the AAC and 4-7 overall on the year. Tennessee Wesleyan is 6-4 and 1-2 AAC while Covenant is 1-2 in the league and 3-9 for the year.

The Lady Cavs won in three games by scores of 30-17, 30-21 and 30-18 over the Lady Scots. Against Covenant, Kate Daub paced the way with 15 kills, no errors in 33 total attacks for a .455 hitting percentage. Tasha Viers added 12 kills and digs while both Kristen Salyer and Stacey Ringhoffer had eight kills apiece. Britney Lawson led the defense with 13 digs. Davina Dishner set 39 kills, dug 12 balls and lined two aces. Leeza Dos Santos served four aces of her own. The team hit .328 for the match.

Tennessee Wesleyan held on in a marathon morning match against UVA-Wise. The Bulldogs won the first game, 36-34, before the Lady Cavs prevailed in the following two games, 30-28 and 30-21. TWC evened the match at two games apiece, 30-23, in the four game before winning a thrilling 16-14 fifth game.

Viers produced a season-best 27 kills, hit .380, dug 24 balls, lined two aces and had two set assists in an outstanding performance. Salyer, Daub and Ringhoffer hit double figures in kills as well with 15, 13 and 12. Dos Santos had 15 digs and an ace. Dishner handed out 66 assists, had three aces and eight digs. Emily Helms chipped in 12 digs and nine kills.

UVA-Wise will remain home for a Tuesday night match against Montreat College starting at 6:30 p.m.