ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — The GSAC announced its Players of the Week presented by Athletic Solutions on Monday, recognizing eight student-athletes for their performances from Oct. 5-11.
La Sierra’s Maylynn Mitchell earned Women’s Volleyball Attacker of the Week for the second consecutive week and second time overall. Hope International swept the other volleyball awards, with Rita Nua being named Setter of the Week and Kaylani Moncada receiving Defender of the Week. Nua and Moncada each earned their second honor of the season after previously being recognized Sept. 14.
In men’s soccer, The Master’s forward Trent Rickard received his second Offensive Player of the Week award after previously winning Sept. 21. Arizona Christian goalkeeper Emiliano Vega earned the defensive honor. Embry-Riddle’s Tessa Updegraff was selected as the Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, while The Master’s goalkeeper Katie Snow collected her third defensive award of the season.
The conference also announced its first swimming awards of the season. The Master’s Katherine Dyer was selected as the Women’s Swimmer of the Week after winning seven events at the Rodionoff Invitational. No Men’s Swimmer of the Week was selected.
Below is a closer look at each of this week’s award winners.
Women’s Volleyball
Attacker of the Week: Maylynn Mitchell, La Sierra
Mitchell earned her second consecutive GSAC Attacker of the Week award and second honor of the season after leading La Sierra to a three-set victory over Life Pacific.
The sophomore outside hitter from Corona, California, recorded 17 kills and committed only three errors on 27 attacks. She finished the match with a .519 hitting percentage while averaging 5.67 kills and 6.5 points per set.
Mitchell added five digs, two blocks, one assist and one service ace. She totaled 19.5 points in the victory.
Setter of the Week: Rita Nua, Hope International
Nua earned her second GSAC Setter of the Week award of the season after previously receiving the honor Sept. 14.
The senior setter from Lakewood, Colorado, totaled 86 assists and averaged 12.29 assists per set as Hope International defeated Life Pacific and Arizona Christian. She opened the week with 35 assists, five digs and three service aces in a sweep of Life Pacific.
Nua followed with a career-high 51 assists and eight digs in a four-set victory over Arizona Christian. She finished the week with 13 digs, five service aces, three kills and two blocks in addition to her 86 assists.
Defender of the Week: Kaylani Moncada, Hope International
Moncada collected her second GSAC Defender of the Week award of the season after previously earning the honor Sept. 14.
The junior libero from Norwalk, California, averaged 8.00 digs per set during Hope International’s undefeated week. She collected 23 digs in a three-set victory at Life Pacific before recording 33 digs against Arizona Christian, her second-highest match total of the season.
Moncada finished the week with 56 digs, seven assists and five service aces across seven sets. She also posted a .927 reception percentage on 41 attempts.
Men’s Soccer
Offensive Player of the Week: Trent Rickard, The Master’s
Rickard earned his second GSAC Offensive Player of the Week award of the season after previously receiving the honor Sept. 21.
The senior forward from Valencia, California, recorded four goals and two assists as The Master’s earned victories over La Sierra and Soka. He scored twice, added an assist and delivered the game-winning goal in a 3-1 victory at La Sierra.
Rickard repeated that performance in a 3-2 home victory over Soka, scoring two goals and assisting on another. He finished the week with 10 points on 13 shots, placing eight attempts on goal.
Rickard converted both of his penalty kicks and scored the game-winning goal in each match.
Defensive Player of the Week: Emiliano Vega, Arizona Christian
Vega recorded a six-save shutout to lead Arizona Christian to a 4-0 road victory over Benedictine Mesa.
The senior goalkeeper from Mexicali, Mexico, played all 90 minutes and stopped every shot he faced. Vega finished with a 1.000 save percentage while helping the Firestorm secure the conference victory.
Women’s Soccer
Offensive Player of the Week: Tessa Updegraff, Embry-Riddle
Updegraff recorded a hat trick as Embry-Riddle defeated Park Gilbert, 8-0, and remained atop the GSAC standings.
The junior midfielder from Albuquerque, New Mexico, scored three goals in only 60 minutes of action. She scored on three of her five shots and placed four attempts on goal.
Updegraff finished the victory with six points, a .600 shooting percentage and an .800 shots-on-goal percentage.
Defensive Player of the Week: Katie Snow, The Master’s
Snow earned her third GSAC Defensive Player of the Week award of the season after previously receiving the honor Sept. 14 and Sept. 21.
The junior goalkeeper from Arlington, Washington, posted two shutouts in a pair of 1-0 victories. She made four saves in a road win over La Sierra before adding five saves against Soka.
Snow stopped all nine shots she faced across 180 minutes in goal. She finished the week with a 0.00 goals-against average and a 1.000 save percentage while extending her shutout streak.
Women’s Swimming
Swimmer of the Week: Katherine Dyer, The Master’s
Dyer earned the first GSAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week award of the season after winning four individual events and contributing to three relay victories at the Rodionoff Invitational.
The junior from Pacoima, California, won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:04.61, the 100 freestyle in 51.33, the 200 freestyle in 1:51.36 and the 200 breaststroke in 2:19.99.
Dyer achieved an NAIA “A” standard in the 200 freestyle and “B” standards in the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle and 200 breaststroke. She also contributed to victories in the 200 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay, helping The Master’s finish second in the five-team field.
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