Weekly MVC Release in PDF Format 
Nov. 19, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
After helping Illinois State's volleyball team end the Missouri Valley Conference regular season with back-to-back three-game sweeps over the two teams battling for the final spot in this week's (Nov. 23-24) State Farm MVC Tournament, outside hitter Mallory Leggett was named the Valley's Freshman of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon. The plaudit marks Leggett's third weekly honor of the season.
The Maroa, Ill., native had her best all-around weekend in conference play by averaging 5.17 kills and 2.50 digs per game in Illinois State's (19-10, 11-7 MVC) convincing victories over Evansville (Nov. 16) and Southern Illinois (Nov. 17). Against the Purple Aces, Leggett had a match-high 16 kills, tallied eight digs and scored 17.0 points, as the Redbirds eliminated Evansville from the MVC Tournament picture.
In Saturday's win over the Salukis, Leggett recorded 15 kills on a .343 hitting percentage, tallied seven kills, totaled two blocks and scored 17.0 points. For the week, Leggett totaled 31 kills, hit .310, contributed 15 digs, had two blocks and scored 34.0 points.
Leggett also claimed the accolade for the periods ending Sept. 10 and Oct. 8. The record for the most Valley Freshman of the Week honors in a single-season is four, which ISU junior setter Erin Lindsey set during her freshman campaign.
Leggett, a candidate for the Valley's Freshman of the Year award, ended the regular season with 303 kills (3.03 kpg) and 358 digs (3.58 dpg). The league's specialty awards will be announced at the pre-tournament banquet Thursday night (Nov. 23) in Springfield, Mo.
Illinois State enters the Valley Tournament as No. 5 seed for the second-consecutive season. The Redbirds will face host and fourth-seeded Missouri State in the quarterfinals Friday. First serve from John Q. Hammons Student Center is set for 10 a.m.
