HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky University’s Kristin Koralewski has been named the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II National Player of the Week.
Koralewski, a senior outside hitter and a native of Muskego, Wis., led NKU to road victories against the University of Indianapolis and Saint Joseph’s College last week by recording 55 kills and a .438 hitting percentage in the two matches. She also helped the Norse extend their win streak to nine with the road sweep.
On Friday, Koralewski recorded a career-high 33 kills, hit .475 and added 16 digs as NKU outlasted Indianapolis, 27-30, 32-30, 24-30, 31-29, 15-5. The Norse also handed Indianapolis its first home loss of the season and won at the Ruth Lilly Fitness Center for the first time since 2001.
In that match, Koralewski helped NKU rally from a 16-9 deficit in the fourth game by hammering down 12 kills and attacking at a .611 clip. The Norse pulled out a 31-29 win in that pivotal game.
In the fifth game, NKU built a 5-0 lead and coasted. Koralewski slammed down five kills in seven attempts for a .714 hitting percentage in the final game.
Koralewski finished with 22 kills, 24 digs and a .392 hitting percentage as NKU defeated Saint Joseph’s in four games on Saturday. NKU improved to 19-8 overall, 12-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Koralewski has 499 kills this season and 1,425 during her career at NKU. The senior All-American ranks sixth on the NKU all-time list in that category, and she needs 102 kills to break the Norse’s single-season record of 600 (set by Bethany Gastright in 2000).
Koralewski also earned GLVC Player of the Week honors for the third time this season and seventh time in her career at NKU. For the week, she averaged 6.1 kills (27.5 kills per match) and 4.4 digs per game.
This marks the second time in two years that Koralewski has been named National Player of the Week by the AVCA. She also earned the honor on Sept. 15, 2003.
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Kristin Koralewski |