Hartford's Jennifer Monroy (Rahway, N.J./Union Catholic) and Stony Brook's Morgan Sweany (Mission Viejo, Calif,/Capistrano Valley) share Player of the Week honors, while freshman outside hitter Sarah Ball (Winnipeg, Canada/Sisler) of UMBC and Albany's Blair Buchanan (Muncie, Ind./Delta) repeat as Rookie of the Week and Setter of the Week, respectively. The awards were announced on Monday (September 12).
Monroy led the Hawks over the weekend at the Lafayette Tournament where they picked up three wins and dropped only one to the host Lafayette. In the four matches, Monroy hit .358, while averaging 4.29 kills per game, 2.93 digs per game and 4.86 points per game. She was amongst the top hitters on the team in attack percentage against Quinnipiac (24 TA, 15 K, 4 E .459 attack percentage) and against Fairleigh Dickinson (36 TA, 18 K, 4 E, .389 attack percentage). She was also the leading defender against the Knights when she racked up 17 digs. Over the weekend she had five service aces including three against Quinnipiac and the other two were against FDU.
Sweany sparked the Seawolves to a perfect 3-0 week en route to winning the 2005 Holiday Inn Express Invitational at Stony Brook. She tallied 4.54 kpg, 2.69 dpg and 5.15 ppg over those three contests. The week was capped with an impressive match against Siena, who was runner up at the tournament as Sweany hit .300 with a career-high 24 kills and 15 digs as the Seawolves outlasted Siena 3-2. She led all competitors with 59 kills and was named Holiday Inn Express Invitational MVP.
Ball continued her hot streak to start the season, averaging 4.38 kpg and 5.15 ppg in three matches last week. Ball tallied two more double-doubles and extended her double-digit kill streak to eight games as the rookie notched 2.46 digs per game last week. Ball against Delaware hit .300 with 21 kills and six errors on 50 attacks, leading the Retrievers from a two-set deficit to a 3-2 come-from-behind win. Ball recorded 14 digs and 23.5 points in the match. Ball's streak of consecutive double-doubles to begin her career was snapped at six after tallying 13 kills and eight digs against St. Peter’s. Ball finished the week with 23 kills, 10 digs and 26.0 points against La Salle as UMBC took that match, 3-2.
Buchanan averaged 12.00 assists per game, 1.91 kpg, 3.00 dpg and 0.36 blocks per game during the week. She amassed 132 assists in three matches, including 51 against Pennsylvania. It is the 13th time in her career that she has managed at least 50 assists. The junior setter also notched seven kills in each of the three matches. Her 33 digs ranked second on the squad for the week. Buchanan became the first Great Dane to record a double-double, recording two on the weekend. She managed 47 assists and 12 digs against Ohio and then 51 assists and 12 digs against Penn. Buchanan was one of two UAlbany players on the all-tournament team.