Shairs and Roche Claims Weekly MASCAC Honors
SALEM, Mass. - For the first time this season, the Salem State women's volleyball team saw two student-athletes earn weekly Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) awards. Presley Shairs (Salem, Mass.) was named MASCAC Offensive Player of the Week while Kailey Roche (Billerica, Mass.) earned MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors as announced by the conference earlier today.
Shairs grabbed her first weekly MASCAC honor this season and for her career. Shairs totaled 21 kills (10.5 kills per match) with a .234 hitting percentage, two service aces, four blocks and eight digs in a 2-0 week for the Vikings. She finished with 13 kills, two aces, a solo block and two block assists in the 3-1 MASCAC win over Fitchburg State. Shairs also added eight kills, three digs and a solo block in the 3-0 win over Norwich.
Meanwhile for Roche, the Defensive Player of the Week honor is her first of the season and second in her career. She helped the Vikings go 2-0 last week with wins over Fitchburg and Norwich. The senior libero the week with 44 digs (6.29 per set), including an eight per set in a 3-0 sweep at Norwich. She also finished with five per set in a 3-1 MASCAC win at Fitchburg State. Roche has now recorded 20-plus digs in three-straight matches (seven overall). On the offensive side of the ball, she chipped in two service aces in the win at Norwich.
Salem has a busy week coming up when the squad travels to Anna Maria College on Wednesday, October 22 at 6:00 p.m. and then cap off the week at MCLA on Saturday, October 25 at noon.