For the third time this season and fifth time in her career, Valparaiso sophomore libero Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week.

Root, who is now tied for fifth in league history with five career weekly honors, earned her latest award after yet another stellar week in the back row.  The sophomore kicked off the week with a 22-dig effort in a sweep at Oakland, tying for match-high honors, and then registered a match-best 21 digs in a Horizon League sweep of UIC.  Root has now reached 20 or more digs in 17 of Valpo’s 24 matches and has led all players in 18 contests.

For the week, Root averaged 7.17 digs/set while helping to hold the Crusaders’ opponents to .122 hitting in the pair of sweeps.  She also did not commit a serve reception error on 24 attempts, and has now been perfect on serve receive over Valpo’s last five matches.  On the season, Root is averaging 5.82 digs/set, which ranks third nationally, and has accumulated 530 total digs this year, already seventh-most in a single season in program history.

With the weekly honor, Root is now eligible for voting for ‘The People’s Choice’ on the Horizon League Network, with the poll available on the Horizon League website starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon.  Root and the Crusaders return to action tonight in search of their 20th win of the season in non-league action at SIU Edwardsville.