Kowalska Earns E8 Player of the Week, Thomas Repeats as Top Rookie
Justin Lutes
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (October 8, 2012) – The Empire 8 Conference selected its weekly women’s volleyball awards and Stevens Institute of Technology senior opposite hitter
Maggie Kowalska (Edison, N.J.) and freshman outside hitter
Annemarie Thomas (Durham, N.C.) swept the Player and Rookie of the Week. Kowalska earns her first weekly honor, while Thomas has been named the conference’s top rookie for the second consecutive week after their performances in four matches for Stevens.
The Ducks hosted the second Empire 8 Crossover of the 2012 season and went 2-1 over the two-day event with victories over Alfred University and Houghton College. Stevens suffered losses to non-conference opponent Vassar College on October 3, and E8 foe Elmira College in five sets during the crossover.
Throughout the week, Kowalska totaled 49 kills, 41 digs, nine blocks, eight assists and five service aces for 58.5 points. She tallied 22 kills and a .289 hitting percentage with 16 digs in the setback to Elmira, and followed up with a 17-kill effort where she hit .387 in a sweep of Houghton. For the week, Kowalska hit .254 overall and posted double-digit digs in three matches.
Kowalska has already taken over the career marks for block assists and total blocks this season, and could surpass career kills later this week. She leads the Ducks with 303 kills and 65 blocks, while her 233 digs are second and 33 aces are third best on the team.
For the second-straight week, Thomas claimed the top rookie accolade with 24 kills and 16 digs throughout 14 sets played. She accumulated 22 kills in the three conference matches and hit at a .242 clip. Against the Soaring Eagles, Thomas registered 10 digs, and then posted 10 kills versus Alfred on the same day.
Thomas ranks fourth on the team this season with 133 kills.
Stevens plays at New York University on Wednesday evening, October 10 at 6:30 p.m. and then hosts Hunter College on the 12th at 7 p.m. for Senior Night.