GREENSBORO, N.C. – Savanah Leaf’s milestone weekend earned the senior her second straight ACC Player of the Week Award.
Leaf turned in another stellar showing, helping Miami improve to 6-2 in the ACC and increase its current win streak to four. The outside hitter, who entered the weekend as the ACC leader in kills/set with 4.65, led all players with 18 kills in Friday’s match against Virginia Tech. Leaf added two aces and 11 digs against the Hokies, recording her team-best seventh double-double of the year.
Sunday’s match may have been more special for the San Anselmo, Calif., native. Leaf, who finished with 16 kills, eight digs and three blocks against Georgia Tech, hit an impressive .424 while etching her name into an exclusive club in Hurricane volleyball history.
Leaf became the eighth player in Hurricane history to record 1,000 career kills, joining Lane Carico, Karla Johnson, Valeria Tipiana, Francheska Savage, Alex Johnson, Genny Mayhew and Elizabeth Tyson.
“I’m really happy for her,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “She’s having a good year. She’s not only our kill leader, she also digs, passes and blocks. She’s becoming a better leader. To see her accomplish that in three years is really nice.”
The talented senior, who transferred to Miami after her freshman year at San Jose State, reached the milestone in less than three seasons.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do it, especially being a transfer,” Leaf said. “I think that it’s really exciting that I can leave that mark at the school and give other people hope that even if they do transfer, they have a lot of room to get 1,000 kills. I’m excited because that’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to leave a legacy at a school.”
A week ago, Leaf earned the first ACC Player of the Week honor of her career. The senior was instrumental in Miami’s 2-0 weekend against Syracuse and Boston College.
A Preseason All-ACC selection, Leaf has been a huge part of Miami’s success in 2014. Her 313 kills lead the Hurricanes and her 4.67 kills/set is the best in the ACC. Leaf is second on the team in service aces with 20 and ranks third in both digs (160) and blocks (52).
Leaf has tallied double-digit kills in 17 of Miami’s 19 matches to date in 2014. The gifted outside hitter has compiled 15 kills 13 times this year and recorded at least 20 kills four times, including a career-high 30 against No. 5 Florida State on Oct. 5.
Her performance against the rival Seminoles set a Miami record for kills in an ACC match. The senior also set the record for most kills by a Hurricane at the Knight Sports Complex and tied Karla Johnson for most kills by a Cane in a single match (9/3/05 at Houston).
The Hurricanes have now won an ACC weekly award in four consecutive weeks. Setter Haley Templeton was named ACC Freshman of the Week on Sept. 29 and Oct. 6.
The Canes are back in action next Friday, when they travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. to face Wake Forest. Miami’s match against the Demon Deacons is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
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