IRVINE, Calif. – This week’s PacWest Volleyball Players of the Week are Keani Passi (Chaminade), Rachael Smith (Academy of Art), Bethany Mandon (Point Loma) and Brittany Latigue (Dominican). The awards are based on matches played Nov. 9-15.
 
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Keani Passi (Chaminade)
RS, Sr., Pearl City, Hawaii/Pearl City
 
Passi repeated as the conference’s top player, averaging 7.57 kills and 3.0 digs per set in two matches. She set career-highs in kills on consecutive nights, recording 25 against Dixie State and then surpassing that mark with 28 against Point Loma. Her 25 kills against the Red Storm were the most by a PacWest player in a three-set match since 2011. Chaminade only had eight available players, allowing the defenses to key on the Silverswords top offensive threat. Passi moved up into third place in the conference in kills per set (4.25).
 
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rachael Smith (Academy of Art)
S, Sr., Clovis, Calif./Clovis
 
Smith put on a historic performance to lead Academy of Art to two four-set wins, averaging 11.75 assists and 3.0 digs per set. She recorded 48 assists, 14 digs and five kills in an upset of second-place CBU, and 46 assists and 10 digs against Azusa Pacific. Smith surpassed 4,000 career assists, becoming the second player in PacWest history to achieve that milestone.
                                                                                                                                       
DEFENDER OF THE WEEK
Bethany Mandon (Point Loma)
MB, So., Rocklin, Calif./Rocklin
 
Mandon helped Point Loma sweep three matches in Hawaii. She averaged 1.6 blocks per set, recording at least three total blocks in all three matches. She had six blocks and 12 kills against Hawai’i Hilo, and tied her season high with seven blocks against Chaminade. Point Loma held its three opponents to a combined hitting percentage of .148 as the Sea Lions moved into second place in the conference standings. Mandon ranks seventh in the PacWest in blocks per set (0.92).
 
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Brittany Latigue (Dominican)
MB, Fr., San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty
 
Latigue earned her second weekly honor, averaging 3.38 kills per set on a .444 hitting percentage in two Dominican wins. She also had 1.50 blocks per set. She recorded a career-high 15 kills and had eight blocks (two solo) against Notre Dame de Namur. Latigue ranks 11^th in the PacWest in both hitting percentage (.270) and blocks per set (0.88).