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American Volleyball Sweeps Patriot League Weekly Honors
Kucerkova earns third Player of the Week nod

November 12, 2001

Sophomore Karla Kucerkova earned her third Patriot League Player of the Week nod while helping American to a sweep of its league slate.

WASHINGTON -- Karla Kucerkova (Olomovc, Czech Republic/Brno) earned her third Patriot League Volleyball Player of the Week honor of the season on Monday and freshman Sabrina Vasconcelos (Fortaleza, Brazil/Colegio Christus) nabbed her second Rookie of the Week nod after helping American complete a perfect 14-0 sweep of the league with a 3-0 win at Navy on Friday.

In its inaugural season in the league, the Eagles swept each of their league foes twice during the regular season without dropping a single game and are carrying an overall record of 24-2 into the Patriot League Championship at Bender Arena this weekend.

Kucerkova, a 6-3 sophomore outside hitter, recorded 11 kills and eight digs in a 3-0 non-conference match against UMBC on Nov. 6. She then played in only two games against Navy on Nov. 9, but tallied nine kills, seven digs and a .471 hitting percentage. Kucerkova also led the team to a 3-0 non-conference win over Morgan State, who had been 17-2 on the season, with a career-high 25 kills along with 13 digs.

Vasconcelos continued her outstanding rookie season with 99 total assists in the Eagles’ three wins last week. The 5-7 freshman setter posted 32 assists and four kills without an error en route to a .571 hitting percentage against the Midshipmen and notched 44 assists, nine digs, six kills and three service aces in the team’s win over Morgan State.

American is currently on a 19-match winning streak and a 15-match home win streak dating back to last season as it prepares to host the 2001 Patriot League Volleyball Championship this weekend. As the No. 1 seed, the Eagles will face No. 4 seed, and defending league champion, Bucknell on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. The second semifinal match pits No. 2 Lehigh against No. 3 Army at 2:00 on Saturday, while the championship match is scheduled for Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

American University became a full member of the Patriot League on July 1 after competing in the Colonial Athletic Association since the 1985-86 academic year. The University, founded in 1893, fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program, featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men.