(MSU Sports Information)
SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State volleyball senior Lily Johnson was named the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week and VolleyMob National Player of the Week Tuesday for her exceptional performances in leading the Bears to wins at Drake and UNI after all three clubs entered last weekend tied atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings with 6-0 league records.
Johnson totaled 50 kills and 50 digs in the two wins, averaging 5.56 kills, 5.56 digs, 0.67 blocks and 6.0 points per set while hitting .270. Friday at Drake, she finished with 28 kills and a career-high 32 digs, becoming the second player in school history and first since 1989 to record at least 25 kills and 30 digs in a match. She also had four blocks against the Bulldogs.
Saturday, the outside hitter from Wildwood, Mo., native piled up 22 kills, including 12 on 20 swings with no errors in the clinching fourth set, and hit .312 to lead the Bears to a 3-1 win at No. 20 UNI in a match-up between two 7-0 MVC clubs. She added 18 digs, an ace and two blocks against the Panthers.
Johnson is the first MSU volleyball player to earn AVCA National Player of the Week honors, and becomes first multiple-time winner of VolleyMob’s top weekly award, which is in its first season of existence, after being cited on Sept. 12.
The Bears (16-5, 8-0 MVC), who sit just outside the AVCA Top 25 poll in the No. 28 spot this week, host Bradley at 7 p.m. Friday and Illinois State at 7 p.m. Saturday at Hammons Student Center.
