Pirkl, Hunt-Thompson earn GCAC weekly awards

NEW ORLEANS — The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference has honored two from Xavier University of Louisiana for their volleyball performances of Oct. 26-Nov. 1. Franziska Pirkl is the Setter of the Week, and Ruby Hunt-Thompson is the Attacker of the Week.

Pirkl was honored for the fourth time this season. Hunt-Thompson's award is her first.

Pirkl, a senior from Munich, Germany, and a graduate of Theodolinden Gymnasium, produced 94 assists, 16 digs, three kills and a block during the Gold Nuggets' 2-0 week. Pirkl's 43 assists Saturday against SUNO were her most ever in a three-set match. Two days earlier, she had a season-high 51 assists in a five-set victory at Loyola.

Hunt-Thompson, a home-schooled freshman from Evanston, Ill., hit .408 and produced 25 kills, eight blocks, six digs and two aces. She had career highs of 15 kills, .538 hitting percentage (minimum 10 attempts) and five blocks against Loyola, and she had 10 kills, three blocks, a career-best six digs and a career-high-tying two aces against SUNO.

Hunt-Thompson leads the GCAC in hitting percentage (.297) and is trying to become the first freshman in five years to lead the conference in that category. Pirkl leads the GCAC with 8.9 assists her set.

Xavier (16-7, 10-1 GCAC) will close the regular season at 7 p.m. Monday at GCAC and city rival Dillard. The Gold Nuggets would earn no worse than a share of the GCAC regular-season championship by defeating the Lady Bleu Devils. The GCAC Tournament will be Nov. 13-14 at Little Rock, Ark.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
twitter.com/xulagold
www.facebook.com/xulagold