Each week, The Daily News' sports crew picks its PPQ - the play, player and quote of the week.
But it doesn't stop there. With the help of our online voters, the weekly fan choice is also featured.
This week's best:
Player of the Week
Alyssa Rio, women's volleyball — The junior libero was named Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after leading the defensive charge last week against Eastern Michigan University and Central Michigan University. Rio collected a match and season-high 34 digs against the Eagles — the most for a Ball State player since Rio had 34 digs against the University of Toledo in 2007 — and followed that with a match-best 19 digs to help the Cardinals sweep the Chippewas.
Play of the Week
Whitney Adams, Christina Riordan, Jessica Elzinga and Natalie Grissom, women's swimming and diving — Without senior standout diver Lisa Maertin, Ball State was still able to sweep the three-meter diving event against the University at Buffalo on Saturday. Thanks to a a 237.60 point winning attempt from Adams, who won the event, Riordan (218.60), Elzinga (214.57) and Grissom (201.68) followed to complete the sweep.
Quote of the Week
"Back in camp I said to [offensive line coach Jason Eck] ‘How blessed are we to do something we love and do it with friends?' I feel blessed. I feel like the luckiest person in the world to do something I love in my hometown with people that I know well." — Football offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner, a Muncie native who was a running back at the University of Wisconsin before eventually returning back to Ball State as a coach.
Fan Choice
Alisha Green, volleyball — With seven votes and 37 percent of the poll, Green, a senior, won the ninth fan choice vote of the year. On senior day, Green tallied a career-high eight blocks on Sunday in the Cardinals 3-0 (26-24, 27-25, 25-8) sweep of Central Michigan University, helping limit the Chippewas to a season-low -.133 attack percentage. Green had six of her blocks in the clinching third set alone.
To vote in next week's poll, check out Monday's online edition of The Ball State Daily News.
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