COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M volleyball players Stephanie Aiple (pronounced EYE-plee) andShelby Sullivan both were honored by the Southeastern Conference today for their performances in the Aggies’ victories at league-leading and 20th-ranked Kentucky and Tennessee over the weekend.
Aiple, a sophomore setter from Round Rock, Texas, was named the SEC Player of the Week and also raked in SEC Setter of the Week accolades for a third consecutive week. Sullivan, a senior middle blocker from Richardson, Texas, was tabbed SEC Defensive Player of the Week as the Aggies extended their season-best win streak to six matches.
Aiple averaged 11.29 assists per set for the week while directing the A&M offense, which leads the SEC in assists (13.50) and kills (14.47) per set and ranks second with a .291 hitting efficiency in conference matches. Against the Wildcats, Aiple recorded her team-leading fourth double-double of the season with 41 assists and 11 digs as A&M won at Kentucky for the first time in program history. In the victory at Tennessee, Aiple set up a balanced offense resulting in four players posting double-figure kills in the three-set sweep.
Aiple enters this week ranked second in the SEC and 16th in the nation with 11.35 assists per set for the full season. She also ranks second in the league with 11.42 assists per set in conference matches only.
Sullivan led or tied for the team lead in blocks in both matches. The team captain led all players with two solo blocks and also led A&M with five blocks overall in the win against the Wildcats. Sullivan also scooped seven digs against Kentucky, marking her most digs in an SEC match this season.
In the win against Tennessee, Sullivan had a team-high five blocks and tied for match-high honors with 13.5 points after adding 10 kills while hitting .526.
For the week, Sullivan averaged a team-high 1.43 blocks per set and also led the Aggies with a .410 hitting percentage while averaging 2.43 kills per set. Sullivan ranks sixth in the SEC and 42nd in the nation with a .378 hitting percentage for the full season. In SEC matches only, she ranks fifth in hitting percentage (.397), ninth in aces per set (0.32) and 12th in points per set (3.51).
With the two victories, the Aggies (15-6, 8-2 SEC) climbed into a tie with Missouri (20-3, 8-2 SEC) for second place in the SEC standings, only a half-game out of first place. A&M and Missouri go head-to-head Wednesday at Reed Arena with the victor moving into a tie for first with Kentucky.
First serve of the crucial showdown is slated for 5 p.m., and the match will be nationally televised on ESPNU. The first 150 fans receive a free Texas A&M pint glass and a pizza roll. Pizza rolls will be distributed at the north entrance prior to the match, and pint glasses will be distributed post-match along the concourse. Other highlights include a performance by the Hardchord Dynamix team during intermission, and ace T-shirts being thrown into the crowd for every ace served up by the Aggies.
Purchase tickets here.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram by following @AggieVolleyball.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics