Ball State University Athletics
WVB?s Raker Named MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week
November 03, 2015 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - For her part in helping guide the Ball State women's volleyball team to a pair of wins last week, fifth-year senior middle attacker Amanda Raker (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian/Butler) has been named the Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week.
A first-time career MAC Player of the Week honoree, Raker turned in the best two-match performance of her career by hitting a combined .850 (18-1-20) in three-set victories over Toledo (Oct. 29) and Buffalo (Oct. 31) last week.
“It is very rewarding to see Amanda playing the best volleyball of her life as her senior season winds down,” Ball State head coach Steve Shondell said. “She has been a dream to coach, and a very positive influence on our team. Her performance this past weekend will remain in the Ball State record books for many years to come, and it could not have happened to a more deserving young lady.”
Raker, who started her collegiate career as a women's basketball player at Butler (2011-12 & 2012-13), turned in the most impressive performance of her three-year volleyball career in Thursday's sweep of Toledo, smashing nine kills on nine attempts for a perfect 1.000 attack percentage. With the effort, Raker became the first Ball State player in the rally scoring era (2001-present) to boast a perfect attack percentage in a match with a minimum of seven attempts.
In fact, Raker is the only non-setter to boast a perfect attack percentage for the Cardinals in the rally scoring era with a minimum of five attempts. Prior to Raker, setter Brittany McGinnis (2008-11) was the last Ball State player to log a perfect attack percentage with at least five attempts, going 5-0-5 at Purdue (Aug. 28, 2009). Setter Stacie Baldwin (2001-04) is the only other Ball State player to earn a perfect attack percentage in a match with at least five attempts, going 6-0-6 versus Western Michigan (Nov. 16, 2002).
In Saturday's win over Buffalo, Raker once again led the Cardinals with a .727 attack percentage, scoring nine kills on 11 swings with just one attack error. She started the match with kills on her first five swings, giving her kills on 14 consecutive attempts, before being dug midway thought the second set. However, the ball found its way back onto the Cardinals' side of the court and Raker was able to finish the rally with her sixth kill of the match.
A health science major with a 3.866 grade-point average, Raker had not hit above .500 in her career entering Thursday's match at Toledo. In addition, her 18 kills on the week are the best two-match effort of her career.
Raker and the Ball State women's volleyball team return to the road this weekend, when they travel to Western Michigan Friday and league co-leader Northern Illinois Saturday. Friday's match at WMU will start at 7 p.m., while Saturday's contest at NIU is set for a 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT first serve.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @SteveShondell on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
