A very familiar name, a new name and a surprise team highlight the first full weekend of volleyball action in the Pacific West Conference.

Point Loma's Courtney Dyer is the Defender of the Week (again), while Biola newcomer Anna Aubele had a smashing debut for the Eagles to earn Player of the Week. Holy Names, picked to finish 9th in the preseason poll, went unbeaten in New Mexico to claim the tag of Team of the Week.

2022 Results/Schedule
2022 Standings
2022 Statistics
2022 AVCA National Poll
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Biola’s Anna Aubele, RS, 5-10, Soph., Oceanside, Calif.
The transfer from Lipscomb University had a tremendous opening weekend as Biola won two of three matches at the San Marcos Invitational. She was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 4.25 kills per set, including 24 in a five-set win over Saginaw Valley State (Mich.). She had 13 kills in a victory over the host Cougars, and put down 14 balls in a four-set loss to No. 4 nationally ranked Metro State (Colo.). Over the weekend, Aubele led the PacWest in kills per set, was fifth in aces (0.58 per set) and was eighth in attack percentage (.295).

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Point Loma’s Courtney Dyer, DS, 5-8, Sr., Gilbert, Ariz.
The PacWest Preseason Defender of the Year helped the Sea Lions to an impressive opening weekend at the Seawolf Invitational in Anchorage. Point Loma swept Alaska and Pittsburg State (Kan.) before losing a pair of five-setters to unbeaten Alaska Anchorage (7-0) and Emmanuel (Georgia). Dyer had a PacWest best 80 digs (5.0 per set), including 31 against the Lions of Emmanuel. Dyer had 19 and 18 digs respectively in the three-set victories, and added nine total service aces on the offensive side for the 2-2 Sea Lions.
 
HAWKS HOT IN NEW MEXICO: The PacWest Team of the Week would have to be the Holy Names Hawks. Coach Michael Gomez’s team rolled into New Mexico and captured the Green Chile Classic championship by winning four straight games, including a pair of victories over CCAA teams Cal Poly Humboldt and Cal State East Bay. They went five sets to beat CSUEB and Wisconsin Parkside, and took out host Western New Mexico and the Lumberjacks in four games. The Hawks were balanced throughout the time in Silver City with Saupuni Mavaega (9 solo blocks, 42 kills, .470 hitting percentage) leading the way, with help from Lauren Sera (53 kills, 51 digs), Lillie Tuivailala (47 kills, .367 hitting percentage) and Rein Bocage (54 digs) filling the stat sheets. The 4-0 start for Holy Names is its best in school history.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN DEBUT: Point Loma’s Abigail Nua (OH, 5-10, Lakewood, Colo.) had a freshman weekend to remember in Anchorage. She had 22 kills each against Emmanuel and host UAA, and had 12 and 11 kills respectively against Pittsburg and Alaska. Nua’s 4.19 kills per set ranked second in the PacWest over the weekend, and on the defensive side of the net she had five solo blocks and seven block assists.

PACWEST NEWS AND NOTES: The Azusa Pacific Cougars went 3-1 at the NNU Invitational, playing the minimum three sets in each contest. The Cougars swept Rollins (Fla.), Texas A&M International and Emory & Henry (Virg.) and fell to host Northwest Nazarene. Aubrey Banfield, a senior transfer from Northern Arizona, had a sizzling 14 service aces, a PacWest best average of 1.40 per set…Chaminade had No. 7 ranked Cal State San Bernardino on the ropes with a 2-0 lead before the ‘Yotes rallied back for a 3-2 win at the Magic Island Hawai`i Classic in Honolulu. The Silverswords defeated San Francisco State in five sets, took down Stanislaus State in four and fell to No. 21 Lewis in straight sets…Concordia’s Kira Schulz had 36 kills in 12 sets as the Golden Eagles won one of three matches at the San Marcos Invitational. Schulz also had a pair of service aces and three block assists as Concordia defeated Saginaw Valley State but lost to No. 4 Metro State and host Cal State San Marcos…PLNU’s Torina Hommes had 49 kills in four matches, hit .365 and had 12 block assists for 3.50 points per set…APU’s Kyra Palmbush hit .417 in 12 sets, had 28 kills and nine block assists for 3.25 points per set.

LOOKING AHEAD: Next weekend, Point Loma hosts the Seaside Invitational where they and Concordia will take on San Francisco State, Cal State San Marcos, Cal Poly Pomona and Simon Fraser…Dominican and Sonoma State will co-host the NorCal Kickoff featuring Fresno Pacific making its 2022 debut, along with the host Penguins, Holy Names, Cal State East Bay, Northwest Nazarene, Academy of Art and Chico State…Biola and Chaminade will be at the Cal State LA Invitational, taking on Central Washington, Seattle Pacific, No. 7 Cal State San Bernardino and the host Golden Eagles…Azusa Pacific will be in Denver at the Premier Challenge (host Regis, Wayne State, West Florida).