NORFOLK, Va. – For the second time this year, the Norfolk State volleyball team swept the weekly MEAC awards. The conference announced Monday that sophomore Paola Matos was selected Player of the Week, freshman Caris Cross was tabbed Setter and Rookie of the Year, while senior Nicole Rodriguez was named Defensive Player of the Week.

Matos hit .462 in two matches as the Spartans recorded wins over preseason MEAC favorite Coppin State and Morgan State. She averaged 3.4 kills per set. In Friday's match against Coppin State, Matos hit .684, going error-free in 19 swings as she recorded 13 kills and totaled four blocks. Against Morgan State on Sunday, she had 14 kills and a service ace, hitting .333, and she had six kills in the final set, including on match point. This is Matos' first time earning MEAC Player of the Week honors.

Cross averaged 9.9 assists per set in quarterbacking the Spartan offense to two wins. She opened the weekend with 36 assists, four kills, four digs and two service aces, before turning in a 43-assist, eight-dig, three-block, two-ace effort on Sunday against Morgan State. This is her third time winning MEAC Rookie of the Week and second time picking up Setter of the Week accolades.

Rodriguez averaged 4.5 digs per set for the Spartans, matching her season high with 24 digs (the third-highest total in the MEAC this season) on Sunday against Morgan State. She opened the weekend with a 12-dig effort in a four-set win over Coppin State. Rodriguez, who ranks second in the MEAC in digs, has won the honor twice this year.

The Spartans (6-11, 2-4 MEAC), winners of two straight, face South Carolina State on Friday.