Little East Conference Weekly Honors for PSU student-athletes

PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Three Plymouth State University student-athletes were recognized by the Little East Conference Monday for their performances in several Panthers contests last week.

Senior Becky Ciulla (Chelmsford, Mass.) was named LEC Women's Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week, and junior Amanda Spadafora (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) and freshman Tyler Shute (Deerfield, N.H.) were selected LEC Rookies of the Week in field hockey and men's soccer, respectively.

A 5'9" senior middle hitter, Ciulla (left) was named Tournament Most Valuable Player last weekend at the Western New England College Invitational. She averaged 3.13 kills per game and 0.33 aces per game as she led PSU to the tournament championship. She had 12 kills and one ace in an opening round loss to Amherst, nine kills and two aces in a win over Westfield State, 13 kills in a semifinal win over WNEC, and 13 kills and two aces in the championship match win over Amherst. Ciulla also contributed defensively, recording 16 blocks and 60 digs in the tournament, including a career-high 26 digs in the championship match.

A junior forward who is in her first season on the Panther field hockey team, Spadafora (right) received the LEC's top rookie honor after PSU's 1-1 week. She scored a pair of goal in last Saturday's 6-1 conference victory over UMass Dartmouth. Spadafora received LEC weekly and All-Conference honors last spring as a member of the PSU women's lacrosse team.

A 6'1" freshman goalkeeper, Shute (left) posted a 0.92 goals against average in PSU's 1-0-1 week, with nine saves and his second shutout of the season. He blanked Gordon College 2-0 last Wednesday on four saves, including a stop on a second-half penalty shot when the score was tied 0-0. He then made four saves in a 3-2 double-overtime victory at Salem State. Shute leads the LEC for the season in goals against average (0.68), saves percentage (.857), and shutouts (2).

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