Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row and for the fourth time in her career after earning All-Tournament Team honors at the Appalachian Invitational last weekend.

Root helped the Crusaders to their second straight tournament title as Valpo went a perfect 3-0 at the Appalachian Invitational.  The sophomore picked up 22 digs in a win over USC Upstate before tallying 23 in the come-from-behind win over Eastern Kentucky.  She saved her best performance for the tournament finale, registering 35 digs as the Crusaders downed the host Mountaineers in four sets.  The 35 digs were a new career high for Root, were the most digs in a match since the move to 25-point rally scoring, and were the third-most digs in a four-set match (any scoring) in Valpo volleyball history.

Root picked up an even 80 digs on the weekend, averaging 6.15 digs/set, and now has recorded 20 or more digs in six of Valpo’s first seven matches this year.  Root and the Crusaders return to the court on Tuesday afternoon, traveling downstate to Terre Haute to face Indiana State.