Kayla Lund named AVCA National Player of the Week

The Pitt volleyball team faced Baylor and Tennessee in Knoxville over the weekend and logged 3-2 wins over both teams. Panthers outside hitter Kayla Lund was instrumental in taking down the pair of opponents on the road, and for her efforts, she was recognized by the AVCA as the National Player of the Week.

Against Baylor, Lund squared off with Bears outside hitter Yossiana Pressley and came out on top, as she posted a season-high 21 kills to Pressley’s 20. Lund also had a hit percentage of .432 against the Bears, which marked another personal best for the outside hitter this season. And thanks in part to Lund, Pitt was able to beat its third ranked foe of the season, as Baylor sat at No. 9 entering the contest.

In Pitt’s matchup with Tennessee, Lund also came up with a big performance, as she posted a 19-kill, 11-dig double-double. Her kill total included six in the third set, and thanks to Lund’s contributions, Pitt pulled out a 28-26 win in the set en route to a 3-2 overall victory. All told, Lund led the team in kills for the second straight game, and Pitt escaped Knoxville unscathed despite two hard-fought battles.

Lund’s double-double in the win over Tennessee was her third of the season, and it helped the Panthers improve to 5-0 overall. As for individual accolades, Lund is the first Pitt player to earn National Player of the Week honors from the AVCA, and if she continues to produce at this rate, it could be the first of many honors for her this season.