Warrenville, Ill. native averaged 2.00 kills and 3.67 digs per set in a 2-0 week for Stonehill

EASTON, Mass. (October 22, 2014) – Stonehill College freshman outside hitter Ashley Hitchcock (Warrenville, Illinois/Benet Academy) has been named the Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week for volleyball, it was announced yesterday by the league office.

Hitchcock earns this honor from the NE-10 for the first time in her career following a week in which she averaged 2.00 kills and 3.67 digs per set while helping Stonehill to a pair of 3-0 sweeps over Assumption College and Southern Connecticut State University.

In Stonehill's first match of the week, Hitchcock appeared in two of the three sets and recorded seven digs, five kills, an assist, a service ace, and a block assist as the Skyhawks extended their winning streak against Assumption to ten matches dating back to the 2008 season. She followed that up with four digs and a kill on Saturday as Stonehill earned its second consecutive 3-0 sweep at Southern Connecticut State.

Overall this season, Hitchcock is averaging 2.28 digs and 1.48 kills per set to go with 18 service aces, eight digs, and eight blocks. She has appeared in 14 matches, making three starts, while playing in 40 of Stonehill's 79 sets this season.

Hitchcock's strongest play so far this fall came in a three-match stretch from October 3-7. In Stonehill's 3-1 win over regional power the University of Bridgeport on October 3^rd, she hit a season-best .538 with seven kills, nine digs, four blocks (one solo), and three service aces. Hitchcock followed that up the next day against the New York Institute of Technology with season highs in both digs (17) and kills (16) to go with two service aces and an assist in Stonehill's 3-2 victory.

She capped the run of strong play with 14 digs, eight kills, and two block assists in a five-set victory over Saint Anselm College on October 7^th. Hitchcock has registered 5+ kills five times, and 5+ digs on eight occasions so far this season.

A 2014 graduate of Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois, Hitchcock was a four-year letter winner for head coach Brad Baker. She helped lead the Redwings to an Illinois Class 4A State Championship as a junior in 2012 and a runner-up finish as a senior in 2013. Hitchcock also played club volleyball for head coach Rick Butler with the Sports Performance Volleyball club in Aurora, Illinois, winning the 2013 AAU National Championship. In addition, she was selected as a 2013 PrepVolleyball.com High School Volleyball Academic All-American and a 2014 Illinois State Scholar.

Stonehill (17-4, 8-1 NE-10) will put its perfect 7-0 record at Merkert Gym this season on the line on Saturday afternoon, when the Skyhawks host the University of New Haven at 1 p.m.

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