Monday, September 11, 2006

Macon, Ga. – Mercer's Julie Darty and Belmont's Jaye Schuler share A-Sun Player of the Week honors after two great performances. Darty put up great numbers despite the Bears' 2-2 week, and Schuler helped her team take three tournament victories.

For the week, Darty posted 65 kills, 19 digs, 12 block assists and hit .341. Despite tough losses to Georgia and UAB, she led Mercer on the first day of the Bear Brawl, racking up 43 kills total in the two matches. The Orlando, Fla. native recorded a career-high 22 kills against UNC Asheville and was also named to the Bear Brawl All-Tournament team.The junior right side hitter now leads the team in kills (116) and kills per game (3.14). She also leads the team in block assists with 30. Darty is majoring in Communications.

Schuler and her teammates made light work of the teams in the Southern Illinois Invitational, winning the title and sweeping West Virginia, Austin Peay and host Southern Illinois. The middle hitter started in all nine games, collecting 31 kills, three assists, five aces, and seven digs. The A-Sun leader in hitting percentage, Schuler hit an amazing .542 for the week. She is a native of Lexington, Ill. and is majoring in Physical Education.

The Atlantic Sun Conference announces the Player of the Week every Monday during the 2006 volleyball campaign.

The 10-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., includes Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson, with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate to compete in 2007.

Other Top Performers

Jennifer Sartor, ETSU (Sr. - MB - Toronto, ONT - Sport Management Science) -- Sartor accumulated 55 kills for the week, including 50 kills at the Lady Bucs Volleyball Classic presented by Best Western, helping the Lady Bucs to a 2-2 record for the week.

Audra Harrison, GWU (Jr. - OH - Hickory, N.C. - Physical Education) -- Harrison established a school record for kills in a four-game match, tallying 28 in the win over Robert Morris. Her .483 attack percentage against NCCU was the fifth-best in school history.

Lindsey Plotner, KSU (Jr. - MH - Williamsport, Md. - Physical Education) -- Plotner had a great week for the Owls as she posted 40 kills, 17 digs and 16 total blocks during KSU's four matches at the Chesapeake Challenge. She posted 10 kills and a .500 attack percentage as she led the Owls to their first every victory in a 3-0 sweep of Providence.

Amy Stroder, UNF (Jr. - OH - Sugarland, Texas - Biology) -- Stroder hit .266 in three matches last week for UNF, tallied a team-high 47 kills (4.70 per game), and had three aces, 25 digs (2.5 per game) and eight blocks.