Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison), fresh off her third Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season, has been recognized by the Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) for the second time this year as one of its Top Performers from last week.

Root, who is one of just 10 players nationally to receive multiple weekly honors from CVU so far this season, averaged 7.17 digs/set in a pair of sweeps last week.  The sophomore entered the week ranked second nationally with 5.82 digs/set and, through last night’s sweep at SIU Edwardsville, has 545 total digs this year, already sixth-most in a single season in program history.

Root and the rest of the Crusaders return to action Friday night at the ARC when they host Green Bay to kick off a key Horizon League weekend of play.  First serve Friday night, which will be Valpo’s Senior Night as well as its annual breast cancer awareness match, is slated for 7 p.m.