State College, PA. – After going 3-0 during the week, the Penn State Greater Allegheny Volleyball team was represented twice on this week’s list of Penn State University Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week. Alix Ellis (Derry, PA./Derry Area HS) was named the PSUAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week while Juliana Brill (Mount Jackson, VA./Stonewall Jackson HS) was named the PSUAC Defensive Player of the Week.
It was a big week for volleyball starting with their first-ever win against NAIA powerhouse Carlow and ending with the team clinching their first PSUAC Playoff berth since the 2014 season. Ellis and Brill each played a crucial role in the team’s success anchoring strong performances on both sides of the ball.
Brill added to her incredible season this week picking up a team leading 76 digs and seven service aces while helping her team go a perfect 3-0. Brill has already broken the single-season digs record at PSUGA and ranks third in the conference with 387 digs. For her career, she ranks third all-time in PSUGA history with 475 digs.
Her biggest game came against Carlow where she recorded a team-leading 31 digs in the 3-2 victory. Her effort helped the team break the single-game team record for digs in a game with 131 in the win.
Ellis anchored the offensive side of things leading the way with 41 kills on 104 total attacks in her team’s three games. Ellis also helped out on defense with 35 digs during the week as she switched between the back row and the front row. Ellis powered PSUGA to their first playoff spot since 2014 when she picked up 19 kills in her team’s playoff clinching win against PSU-DuBois.
Ellis has put together a nice season of her own sitting third in the conference with 237 kills entering play on Tuesday. She is well on her way to a second straight PSUAC All-Conference Award as she leads her team towards the PSUAC Playoff Tournament.
It is the first time this season that the PSUGA Volleyball team has been recognized by the PSUAC with Brill and Ellis both winning the award for the first time this season. Brill is a first-time award winner while Ellis is winning the PSUAC Player of the Week Award for the second-time in her career.
The PSUGA Volleyball team is back in action tonight when they take on PSU-Beaver in an important PSUAC playoff match at 7 p.m.