sheila sobchikCal Poly volleyball’s Kylie Atherstone was named the Big West Conference Co-Player of the week for this past week. Atherstone earned the honor when she led Cal Poly to a 3-2 win over Long Beach State and contributed in a three-game sweep over UC Irvine.
The freshman recorded 20 kills in the win over the 49ers and added eight digs and seven assisted blocks. It was the Mustangs’ first win over the 49ers since 2002 when the team won at home in five games and the first road win over the 49ers for Cal Poly since defeating Long Beach State in five games in 1986 at the PCAA Tournament in Long Beach.
In the UC Irvine match, the Chico native had 14 kills, five digs and five total blocks.
For the weekend, Atherstone, an outside hitter, averaged 4.25 kills, 0.62 aces, 1.62 digs and 1.50 blocks per game.
She is the third Mustang this year to earn the award after Vanessa Gilliam and Kristin Jackson.
Atherstone shares the honor with Long Beach State’s middle blocker Erika Chidester. Cal Poly is currently in third place in the Big West Conference and has a 15-5 overall record while posting an 8-3 mark in conference play.
Atherstone has been a key player in the Mustangs’ turnaround from a dismal 2004 season.
She is second on the team in kills per game with 3.53. Gilliam, another outside hitter, leads the team with 4.77.
The Mustangs will host a pair of conference matches in Mott Gym this weekend, starting with Cal State Fullerton on Friday and UC Riverside on Saturday. First serve for both matches is set for 7 pm.
Kenny Chicoine
Two players from UC Davis and one from Cal Poly earned Great West Football Conference player of the week honors for their performances in games last Saturday.
Cal Poly free safety Kenny Chicoine earned defensive player of the week honors.
Chicoine, a junior from Huntington Beach, picked off a UC Davis pass and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 13-13 with 14:05 to go. It was the first interception of the season for Chicoine, who was among the nation’s leaders in thefts a year ago with seven. Chicoine also had six tackles (two solo).
Chicoine has 37 tackles, one interception and a forced fumble for the Mustangs this season.
Davis wide receiver Tony Kays and place kicker Emmanuel Benjamin also won player of the week awards.
Kays caught 13 passes for a career high 212 yards to help boost the Aggies past Cal Poly on Saturday.
Meanwhile, teammate Benjamin booted a pair of field goals and had two extra points in the win. Benjamin had field goals from 33 and 35 yards.
In Great West Football Conference games Saturday, UC Davis defeated Cal Poly 20-13 at Toomey Field, while North Dakota State was a 37-21 winner over Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah. Northern Colorado defeated Fort Lewis 45-14 in Greeley, Colo., while South Dakota State fell to Georgia Southern 55-42 in Brookings, S.D., in non-conference contests.