Grussing Named MAC West Division Setter of the Week

CLEVELAND, Ohio - - For her part in helping guide the Ball State women's volleyball team to a pair of five-set wins last week, Esther Grussing has been named the Mid-American Conference West Division Setter of the Week.

The 5-foot-8 redshirt freshman from Willmar, Minnesota, helped the Cardinals offense connect for a .265 (145-46-374) attack percentage last week, while dishing out 11.62 assists per set. Grussing, who earns the honor for the first time in her career, also turned in a solid effort in the backcourt, averaging 2.25 digs per set.

"Esther brought a different dynamic to our offense this past week and helped spark our entire team," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "She played with a lot of confidence and energy, and I thought the team fed off that well. For the past two seasons, she's had the chance to learn the game from one of the league's best in Amber Seaman. The pair did a tremendous job running our offense against a tough Buffalo squad Saturday, with Esther sparking our team early and Amber closing it off with a bang."

In last Thursday's Halloween "Chirp or Treat" Spooktacular, Grussing handed out a career-high 64 assists and had the Cardinals offense connecting at a .252 (75-24-202) clip. Behind her strong setting, five different Ball State attackers blasted double-digit kills in the victory. Grussing also tied her career high with 14 digs for her third double-double of the season, while adding a pair of kills and two block assists.

In Saturday's win over Buffalo, Grussing dished out 29 assists over the first two-and-a-half sets and added four digs, three kills and a pair of block assists. Her best frame was the second, in which the Cardinals hit .378 (16-2-37).

Senior setter Amber Seaman closed out the win over the Bulls, handing out 19 assists and helping the offense operate at a .377 (28-5-61) efficiency over the final two frames. Seaman also smashed a season-high five kills, earned a dig and tallied a block assist.

The Ball State women's volleyball team closes the road portion of its 2019 MAC schedule this weekend with a Friday match at Western Michigan (7 p.m.) and a Saturday contest at Northern Illinois (7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT).

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.

- BallStateSports.com -

Grussing Named MAC West Division Setter of the Week

Players Mentioned

Esther Grussing

Amber Seaman

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