Verzani nets Co-Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Week from the OVC
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – After her offensive explosion this past weekend, Tech’s Ali Verzani has been honored with not one, but two weekly volleyball distinctions from the Ohio Valley Conference: Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week. The redshirt sophomore was a productive centerpiece in both of the weekend’s matches for TTU, as she recorded team-highs in kills (31) and service aces (5), and added 21 digs for averages of 3.88 kills, 0.62 aces and 2.62 digs per set. The digs per set mark was the highest of any non-libero on the team.
By Nate Perry, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – After her offensive explosion this past weekend, Tennessee Tech's Ali Verzani has been honored with not one, but two weekly volleyball distinctions from the Ohio Valley Conference: Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week.
The redshirt sophomore was a productive centerpiece in both of the weekend's matches for TTU, as she recorded team-highs in kills (31) and service aces (5), and added 21 digs for averages of 3.88 kills, 0.62 aces and 2.62 digs per set. The digs per set mark was the highest of any non-libero on the team.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Verzani's weekend showcase was her sure-handedness as an attacker. The Sioux City, Iowa native committed just four errors – the fewest of any of Tech's primary scorers – while registering the most attempts (80). Those numbers, combined with her 31 kills, equates to a .338 hitting percentage, the best mark put forth by a TTU outside hitter during league play this season.
Verzani's fingerprints were all over Saturday's 3-2 win over Eastern Illinois, as she put away a game-high 19 kills, mustered five service aces, and accrued 15 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. She misfired just twice in her 49 attacks for a rate of .347.
She also posted double-digit kills Friday night, with 12 of them against SIUE.
The weekend stat line improves Verzani's kills per set for the season to 2.91, which sits just outside the conference's top 10. The five aces move her year-long total to 27, which is tied for the league lead, and gives her a per set average of 0.32, which is seventh-best among servers in the OVC.
The accolades are the first two of Verzani's brief tenure as a Golden Eagle, and the newest additions for Tech's program list since Kirsten Brugere won Defensive Player of the Week and freshman Erica Grant received Newcomer of the Week back on September 3.
