Sara van Gisteren, LIU
Opposite Hitter, Senior, Leuth, Netherlands/Young Talent Academy, ROC Nijmegan
Last Week’s Stats: 6.31 points per set, 5.63 kills per set, .229 hitting percentage4.88 digs per set, 0.75 blocks per set
For the seventh time this season, LIU senior Sara van Gisteren has been pegged the NEC/Molten Player of the Week. Putting up solid numbers across the board, she powered the Sharks to another dominant weekend in NEC play that featured consecutive wins over second-place FDU in Hackensack. Leading the league with 5.63 kills per set while averaging a whopping 6.31 points per set, van Gisteren flashed her versatility by adding 4.88 digs and 0.75 blocks per set. With the stakes high and LIU’s undefeated league record on the line on Friday night, the Netherlands native delivered a monster performance to propel the Sharks to the five-set victory. Delivering 32 kills, the most by an NEC player in a match this season, van Gisteren added four blocks and a then-personal best 19 digs. On Saturday, she was a back-row menace in the 3-0 triumph as her 20 digs went down as a season-best mark. With the sweep of the Knights, the Sharks improved to 8-0 in NEC play and extended their winning streak to 12-straight matches, the sixth-longest rally in the nation. Van Gisteren continues to lead the league in kills (4.17 per set) and points (5.14 per set), while her 0.50 service aces and 2.63 digs per set are good for second and seventh, respectively.