CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio volleyball senior libero Sam Steele and graduate student setter Parker Kwiatkowski were named the Mid-American Conference East Defensive Player of the Week and the MAC Setter of the Week, the league announced today (Aug. 28). 

Steele (Omaha, Neb.) was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Ohio volleyball team defensively this past weekend at the LD&B Insurance Invitational hosted by JMU, leading the Bobcats to a 2-1 opening weekend. Overall, Steele played in all 12 sets on the weekend, registering 65 digs in 70 attempts and 5.42 digs per set. She only recorded one receiving error and had a .986 reception percentage. She added nine service aces and 13 assists. After the tournament, Steele was named Tournament MVP. 

In Ohio's opening match against UMBC, Steele had 25 digs, 27 receptions and eight assists. Then in Ohio's sweep of JMU, Steele recorded 19 digs and five aces, before closing out the weekend with 22 digs and three aces in the Bobcats' 3-1 win against High Point on Sunday.

Kwiatkowski (Grand Rapids, Mich.) played in all 12 sets and recorded 127 assists on 355 attempts for a .358 assist percentage, while averaging 10.58 assists per set. In the Bobcats' first match against UMBC on Friday, Kwiatkowski had 50 assists in 130 chances for a .385 set percentage. On Saturday in Ohio's sweep of JMU, Kwiatkowski had 32 assists in 96 chances, while wrapping up the weekend with 45 assists in Ohio's 3-1 win over High Point.

Up next, the Bobcats will travel to Dayton, Ohio for the Dayton Flyer Classic Sept. 1-2.  

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