Academy of Art senior Dan Yang earns another Player of Week honor

PHOENIX, AZ - For the second time this season, Academy of Art senior outside hitter Dan Yang (Beijing, China/Beijing 5th Sports School) has been named the Pacific West Conference Volleyball Player of the Week.

The honor was announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Oct. 4, for matches played from Sept. 27-Oct. 3.

Yang led the Urban Knights to a 2-0 week with a pair of victories at Dixie State by topping the PacWest in total kills (42) and ranking fourth in kills per game (4.20).

She also ranked fifth in scoring for the week, totaling 46.5 points (4.65 per game average) on her 42 kills, two aces and five block assists.

Weekly Volleyball Report #5

PacWest Volleyball Weekly Top 10

Kelly Balanay - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., MH, 6-0, San Diego, CA/Valahalla)...hit .478 in 3-0 sweep of BYU-Hawaii on Oct. 1...ranked third in the league for the week in points (5.17) and kills (4.33) per game...totaled 15.5 points on 13 kills, a block solo and three block assists.

Melissa Cheng - Academy of Art (So., S, 5-10, Sunnyvale, CA/Homestead)...topped the PacWest in assists (93) and ranked fourth in assists per game (9.30) for the week...helped lead Art U to a 2-0 road trip at Dixie State.

Laurann Durbin - Grand Canyon (Jr., 5-7, L, Phoenix, AZ/Sunnyslope)...helped lead the Antelopes to a 2-0 week with back-to-back victories vs. Dominican (CA)...topped conference in digs (54) and digs per game (6.75) while also ranking ninth in service aces per game (0.38).

Seluia Falealili - Dominican (CA) (Fr., 5-9, OH, Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly)...had two stellar matches at GCU despite Penguins losing both contests...ranked second in PacWest for the week in points per game (5.56)...also ranked second in total points (44.5)...had 36 kills, eight aces and a block assist...ranked second in kills per game (4.50) and second in total kills for the week...led the conference in service aces (8) and tied for first in aces per game (1.00)...ranked ninth in digs per game (4.12).

Hillary-Lucy Hurley - Hawai‘i Hilo (Jr., 6-2, MB, Anderson, CA/Enterprise)...led the Vulcans to a 3-0 sweep of Chaminade on Oct. 2 - UHH’s lone match of the week...totaled 22.5 points on 19 kills, two aces and three block assists...averaged 7.50 points per set - tops in the conference for the week...also led the league in kills per game (6.33) and ranked sixth in hitting (.356)...tied for fifth in blocks per game (1.00) and ranked 10th in digs per contest (4.00)...tied for fourth in aces per game (0.67).

Leinani Keanini - Academy of Art (Jr., OH, 5-7, Kailua, HI/Iolani)...ranked second in overall digs and fourth in digs per game (5.20) for the week in the PacWest...helped lead the Urban Knights to a 2-0 sweep at Dixie State.

Kylee Pedro - Chaminade (So., 5-10, MB/OH, Kailua, HI/Mid-Pacific)...led the PacWest in hitting for the week with a .529 average...had 10 kills and just one error in 17 attempts...tied for eighth in kills per game (3.33) for the week in the conference...ranked seventh in scoring average for the week (4.17 points per game).

Kyra Pelayo - Hawai‘i Pacific (Jr., 5-3, DS, San Jose, CA/Saint Francis)...ranked second in the PacWest in digs per game (6.67) during the week...totaled 20 digs in 3-0 sweep of BYU-Hawaii on Oct. 1.

Kristen Preach - Grand Canyon (So., 5-10, S, Phoenix, AZ/Xavier Prep)...helped the Antelopes to a 2-0 week by ranking third in assist average (11.12 per game)...posted 89 assists to rank second for the week.

Katie Swenson - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 5-9, S, Bellevue, WA/Omaha Gross Catholic)...led the PacWest in assists per game (14.33) for the week...totaled 43 in 3-0 sweep of Chaminade on Oct. 2.