Wingate’s Gale, Tusculum’s Sarmiento Named Volleyball Players Of The Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. ­- Wingate University middle blocker Stormi Gale has been named the Volleyball Player of the Week, while Tusculum College setter Ashley Sarmiento has been named Volleyball Specialist of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Gale, a senior from Richmond, Texas (Fort Bend Austin HS), helped lead the Bulldogs to three conference wins last week. She averaged 3.67 kills per set, to go along with 2.78 digs per set while hitting .408 for the week. Gale had 14 kills and 10 digs in the 3-0 win at Catawba, while hitting .480 on the night. She had nine kills, nine digs and four blocks in the sweep over Lincoln Memorial Friday night. The 2009 SAC Player of the Year finished the week with 10 kills, six digs, three blocks and three aces, while hitting .556 without an error in a 3-0 win over Carson-Newman.

Stormi Gale

Ashley Sarmiento

Sarmiento, a freshman setter from Dayton, Ohio (Centerville HS) averaged 11.44 assists per set in leading Tusculum to a perfect 3-0 start in South Atlantic Conference play last week. The Pioneers didn't drop a set, posting 3-0 road wins at Mars Hill, Brevard and Lenoir-Rhyne. Tusculum is off to its best league start since joining the SAC in 1999. She also posted 1.89 digs, 0.33 service aces and 0.56 blocks per set in Tusculum fourth consecutive victory. In Tusculum's 3-0 win at Mars Hill, Sarmiento dished out 40 asssits and recorded eight digs in the win. She followed with 33 assists at Brevard, while dispensing 30 assists at Lenoir-Rhyne as the Pioneers improved to 5-2.