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After helping guide the Utes to a pair of wins over No. 19 USC and No. 15 UCLA this past weekend, Utah redshirt freshman Carly Trueman and freshman Eliza Katoa were each named Pac-12 Players of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. Trueman earned offensive accolades, while Katoa was tabbed freshman of the week.
Trueman had a phenomenal week for the Utes, recording 14 kills (2.33 kills/set), while hitting at a clip of .632 at the middle blocker position. Trueman collected seven kills in Utah’s upset win over the Trojans on Friday and then tallied another seven kills in a victory over the Bruins on Sunday, while netting just two errors in all six sets she played in. The Tucson, Ariz., native collected 10 total blocks on the other side of the net as well and averaged 3.25 points per set.
Katoa led the Utes with 19 kills and hit .390 at the outside hitter position this past weekend. Against the Trojans, Katoa recorded eight kills on .500 hitting and then followed that performance with a team-high 11 kills against the Bruins. The Layton, Utah, native averaged 3.17 kills per set and collected a pair of blocks as well while coming off the bench for the Utes this weekend.
The Utes are coming off back-to-back wins over Pac-12 foes for the first time this season and for the first time since collecting consecutive wins against Arizona State and Arizona last season. Utah swept both USC and UCLA over the weekend, winning consecutive matches in straight sets over Pac-12 teams for the first time in program history, all the while collecting back-to-back wins over ranked teams for the first time since 2007.
This is both Trueman and Katoa’s first Pac-12 POW honor for the season and their careers. It is the third weekly honor for the Utah team this season (Bailey Bateman, Defense, Sept. 15) and sixth overall since joining the league in 2011.
Pac-12 Players of the Week (Nov. 10)
Offensive - Carly Trueman, Utah, RS-Fr.
Defensive - Kyle Gilbert, Stanford, Sr.
Freshman - Eliza Katoa, Utah, Fr.