CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - For a second week in a row the Patriot League Rookie of the Week sports the black and gold. Freshman OH Ariana Mankus earned the nod for a second-straight week, making her the Rookie of the Week in each of the first two weeks of balloting.
A powerful hitter that plays much bigger than her 5-8 frame, Mankus posted a career-high 20 kills in a gutsy 3-1 win over Rutgers in the first of three matches for the Black Knights at the Delaware Invitational last weekend. Mankus averaged 4.09 kills per set on her way to earning all-tournament team accolades following the four-team event on Saturday.
The Lisle, Ill., native totaled 16 kills and a season-best 16 digs for her first double-double of the year in a 3-1 setback against the host Blue Hens, while capping her tournament performance with nine kills and 12 digs in a 3-0 win over Princeton.
Mankus kicked-off the week with an 11-kill effort in a 3-2 victory at Manhattan in the Black Knights' first road test of the season.
Army's (5-2) kill leader in five of the team's seven matches so far this fall, Mankus currently leads the Patriot League with a 3.71 kills-per-set average while landing fourth with a .302 attack percentage. Her team-high 0.38 service aces-per-set average ranks 10th in the league.
Mankus, who has played in 24 of 25 sets this season and started seven matches, has made up the bulk of Army's attack early in the year. Her 232 attempts are 70 more than any other hitter on the Black Knights' roster. Mankus' 2.62 digs per set tied with senior OH/RS Rachel Dunn for second on the team.
Mankus' back-to-back Rookie of the Week citations make her the first to accomplish that feat since senior S Maureen Bannon did it twice in 2006.
Sophomore MB Rachel Willis joined Mankus on the Delaware Invite all-tournament team on her way to Patriot League honorable mention status. She totaled 18 blocks on the week, including a career-high eight against Manhattan.
Next on the docket for the Black Knights is a mid-week showdown with Hudson Valley rival Marist on Wednesday, Sept. 9. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at Gillis Field House. An ITT Knight Vision webcast will be available. Please click here for more details.
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