Doolittle named OAC Player of the Week
Senior middle blocker led Pioneers to a River City Tournament title

Sept. 6, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — Senior middle blocker Ellen Doolittle (Louisville, Ky./DuPont) has another honor to add to her athletic resume, as she was named the first Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Volleyball Player of the Week in 2006.

Doolittle, the MVP of the River City Volleyball Tournament, led the Pioneers to their first River City title since 1991. Marietta finished the weekend 3-1, losing a five-game heartbreak to Rio Grande Saturday morning, but bouncing back to take down Ohio Dominican, 3-1, in the finals.

The senior had a career-high 11 total blocks in the four-game win over Ohio Dominican in their first meeting of the year Friday. Doolittle also added a career-high eight aces in the five-game loss to Rio Grande, which was one shy of the school record.

Doolittle helped the 2006 MC squad make its mark in the single-game record books last weekend. The Pioneers collected 13 solo blocks in a three-game win over Ohio Valley and 17 solo blocks in the four-game win over Ohio Dominican. Both were second best all time in their respective categories. In addition, MC’s 24 total blocks against ODU were second most ever for the school in a match.

Marietta (4-1) defeated Waynesburg (Pa.), 3-0, on Tuesday and has begun preparation for its first road challenge of the year. The Pioneers struggled away from home last year and will get an opportunity to start out on the right foot Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 9-10), when they participate in the Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) Invitational. Marietta opens with a match against Susquehanna (Pa.) at 2 p.m. Saturday.