Endicott Sweeps CCC Volleyball Player of the Week Accolades

BEVERLY, Mass. - Following the team's three-win week that culminated in Endicott's third straight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's volleyball title, the Gulls swept the final CCC Player of the Week honors of the 2022 season. Player of the Week honors went to Amanda Gilbert (West Falmouth, Mass.), while Libero of the Week honors went to Emma Ruel (Duxbury, Mass.), and Sophie Breitenbach (Newport, R.I.) received the Rookie of the Week nod, as was announced by the conference office earlier today.

Gilbert's CCC Player of the Week selection is her fourth of the 2022 season, a mark that leads the conference. The graduate student spearheaded the Endicott attack that was dominant throughout the week in three straight 3-0 sweeps, starting with Nichols in the quarterfinals, Western New England in the semifinals and cross-town rival Gordon in the championship match. The Gulls hit .328 as a team over the three matches (123-29-287) as Gilbert posted a combined 44-8-99 (.364) line individually. The outside led the team in kills in every match, book-ending 14 kill performances around a 16 kill effort in the semifinals. For the week, Gilbert finished averaging 4.89 kills/set while hitting .364, 2.78 digs/set, .56 aces/set, .44 blocks/set for a 5.7 point/set average.

Ruel's Libero of the Week selection is also the fourth of the 2022 season for the sophomore, a total that again leads the entire league. The Duxbury, Mass. native averaged 3.89 digs/set behind the best-blocking front line in the conference, and provided stellar serve receive throughout the 3-0 week that was pivotal to the Endicott offense being in system throughout. Ruel led the Gulls in digs in the opening two rounds, finishing with 14 in the sweep of Nichols (4.67/set) before posting 16 (5.33/set) in the sweep of WNE in the semifinals. Ruel then was flawless in receive against Gordon as the Gulls held the Fighting Scots to just 37 kills and a .209 average, both of which were well below Gordon's seasonal averages. 

Rounding out the accolades for the Gulls was Breitenbach's first Rookie of the Week nod of the season. The opposite becomes the third Endicott freshman to earn Rookie of the Week honors in 2022, the highest among all CCC programs. Breitenbach posted eye-popping numbers throughout the dominant week as she led Endicott with her .412 average over the three-match stretch. The Newport, R.I. native hit .400 or better in every match and hit .412 for the week after finishing with 24 kills and just three errors on 51 total attempts. Breitenbach started the week with an 8-1-16 (.438) effort in the quarterfinals against Nichols, before producing a 6-0-15 (.400) line in the semifinal sweep of WNE. The opposite closed the week with a 10-2-20 (.400) performance to go with three blocks in the CCC championship sweep of Gordon.

WHAT'S NEXT

The trio will look to continue their efforts in the NCAA DIII Tournament as Endicott (22-8) claimed the CCC automatic bid with the sweep of Gordon. The Gulls find out their path through the NCAA DIII Tournament regional round with the selection show at 1 PM.

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(Photo Credit - Demetrius Kazanas '22 & Ryan Atkins '23)