FARMINGTON, Utah (September 13, 2021) – Montana’s Ellie Scherffius and Portland State’s Ellie Snook have been named player of the week by the Big Sky Conference. Scherffius was tabbed as the Offensive Player of the Week, and Snook received the nod as Defensive Player of the Week.
Offensive Player of the Week: Ellie Scherffius, Montana
Ellie Scherffius was named the UND Classic tournament MVP after helping Montana to a 3-0 weekend and its first undefeated tournament championship since 2005.
Scherffius averaged a team-best 2.92 kills per set while hitting an astonishing .500 for the weekend and was in double figures for kills in all three matches, hitting .455 or better.
The sophomore middle blocker added 12 blocks on the weekend (0.92 per set) to a total of 3.38 points per set.
In the Griz’s five-set win over Green Bay, Scherffius totaled 15 kills on .520 hitting, in addition to a team-high six blocks. She was good throughout the match but had her best performance in the fifth set when she accounted for nearly half (7-of-15) of Montana’s points.
After falling behind 0-2 to Drake, Scherffius made a comeback, beginning with three kills and a block to close out the third set. She finished with 13 kills on .455 hitting, plus five blocks, before adding 10 kills on .529 hitting later that evening vs. North Dakota.
Others Nominated: Jourdain Klein, Montana State; Lyla Hollis, Northern Arizona; Jamie Streit, Idaho State; McKenna Smith, Sacramento State; Makayla Lewis, Portland State; Rachel Hickman, Northern Colorado; Rylin Adams, Weber State
Defensive Player of the Week: Ellie Snook, Portland State
Ellie Snook increased her lead within the Big Sky Conference for digs per set with another dominant weekend at the PDX Classic. Snook upped her seasonal average to 5.10 digs per set, giving her 1.19 digs per set more than the No. 2-ranked player in the conference.
Snook was at her best in the Vikings’ two wins over the weekend. On Thursday, she posted 23 digs in only four sets against cross-town rival Portland and followed with 30 digs in the Vikings’ five-set win over previously unbeaten Grand Canyon Friday.
The junior libero led the Vikings to a season-high 95 digs against the Grand Canyon, as the Vikings handed the Lopes their first loss of the season.
Snook and the defense helped limit a potent Grand Canyon attack that came into the weekend, leading the Western Athletic Conference and ranked 52nd nationally while hitting .260 as a team.
Snook also helped the Viking defense hold Portland to .043 in Thursday’s match, a season-low for a Viking opponent. Seven of Snook’s match-high 23 digs came in a crucial third set, when the Vikings broke a 1-1, 14-all tie with an 11-3 run to end the set, then dominated the fourth, 25-7.
Snook had two aces each in the Vikings’ wins over Portland and Grand Canyon and now ranks fifth in the Big Sky with 0.45 aces per set.
Others Nominated: Maci Abshier, Montana State; Asiah Sopoaga, Idaho State; Tiyanane Kamba Griffin, Sacramento State; Laura Katarzynski, Northern Colorado; Makayla Sorensen, Weber State; Catie Semadeni, Montana
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