Volleyball's Pope earns conference honor
Nov. 14, 2000
KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University junior Zakiya Pope (East Lansing, Mich.) was named Mid-American Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week Monday (Nov. 13) by the league office.
The 6-2 Pope helped the Broncos win 3-1 at Toledo Nov. 10 and 3-0 at Central Michigan on Saturday (Nov. 11). The victories extended WMU's winning streak to 14 matches, the program's best such streak in 13 seasons, and helped the team post 20 wins for the second consecutive season. Western Michigan had not posted back-to-back 20-victory campaigns since the 1986 and 1987 seasons.
Pope averaged 4.00 kills per game in the two wins and posted a .423 (28-6-54) hitting percentage in the matches. She led Western Michigan with 15 kills at Toledo and recorded 13 at CMU. Pope currently leads the team in kills (293), hitting percentage (.347), and blocks (97).
The Broncos are 20-5 overall, 15-1 in conference play heading into crucial matches versus Ball State (Friday, Nov. 17) and Northern Illinois (Saturday, Nov. 18). WMU and Ball State have identical 15-1 league records and are battling for the MAC West Division title and the top seed in the 2000 MAC Volleyball Tournament, which begins Tuesday (Nov. 21) at campus sites. Western Michigan needs victories over the Cardinals and NIU in order to claim the division title and the No. 1 seed in the postseason.
Friday's match versus Ball State begins at 7:30 p.m. at University Arena. Saturday's regular season finale against Northern Illinois is slated for a 5:15 p.m. start time.
WMU will host a first-round match in the 2000 MAC Volleyball Tournament Nov. 21.
For more information, visit the Broncos on the Web <www.wmubroncos.com>.
Media contact: Geoff Brown; 616 387-4138; geoffrey.brown@wmich.edu