St. LOUIS -- Missouri State volleyball players Laynie Dake and Amelia Flynn are the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player and Freshman of the Week, respectively, the league announced Monday.

Dake piled up 14 blocks in three matches, averaging 1.56 per set and posting a career-high six stuffs in back-to-back sweeps of New Mexico and Central Michigan. Dake's 12 total blocks helped the Bears sweep UNM and CMU with dominating defensive efforts, holding their two Friday opponents to a combined .045 attack efficiency, including a .000 mark over the day's final five sets. 

The sophomore middle blocker from Mount Vernon, Mo., added two blocks Saturday against No. 4 Nebraska, and posted 16 kills, two assists, two aces and two digs on the weekend as well on the way to all-tournament honors at the Husker Invite.

Flynn led the Bears in kills and ranked second in digs at the Husker Invite, averaging 2.78 kills, 2.67 digs and 0.56 blocks per set in MSU's runner-up finish. The outside hitter from Lake St. Louis, Mo., shared the team kills lead in each match, with eight against New Mexico, 11 versus Central Michigan at six at No. 4 Nebraska. She also tallied 15 digs, three blocks and an ace in the sweep of UNM, and nine digs and two blocks in the weekend's other two matches.

The Bears (7-6) open defense of their back-to-back conference titles on Friday, Sept. 21, against Illinois State in a match that has moved to a 3 p.m. start at Hammons Student Center.