Dunlap, Celarek Earn NEC Honors

Central Connecticut volleyball senior Rachel Dunlap was named Molten/Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon, while freshman Nicole Celarek took home NEC Rookie of the Week honors.

Dunlap continued her strong play - especially along the net - as she totaled 23 total blocks over three matches and 13 sets last week. Dunlap's play helped the Blue Devils post a 2-1 record at the CCSU Invitational.

Dunlap opened the weekend with a dominating performance in a five set victory over Hartford. She posted 10 total blocks in the contests. She followed that with eight total blocks against Providence on Saturday morning and then totaled five against NJIT on Saturday night.

Two of Dunlap's five against NJIT were solo blocks, as she helped the Blue Devils limit the Highlanders to a .000 hitting percentage for the match.

Dunlap was named MVP of the CCSU Invitational. She averaged 1.77 blocks per set on the week and added three digs and 28 kills, with a .426 hitting percentage.

Celarek totaled 28 kills, including a new career-high 18 in a five set match against Providence. Celarek also posted 11 digs, six total blocks and five service aces on the weekend.

In the opening match, a five-set win against Hartford, Celarek collected five kills, two aces, three digs and four total blocks.

She followed that with an 18-kill, six-dig and two-block performance against Providence on Saturday morning.

Finally, she closed the weekend with five kills, three aces and two digs in a win over NJIT on Saturday night.

Celarek hit .341 in the Providence match and for the week averaged 2.33 kills, 0.92 digs, 0.50 blocks and 0.42 aces per set over her 12 sets played.