For the second time this season, Rebecca Saraceno earned Big West Player of the Week honors after guiding UC Santa Barbara to a 3-0 week, which included a 2-0 mark to open conference play.

The Redondo Beach, Calif., native opened the week with a 14-kill, 18-dig performance in the Gauchos 3-0 victory over Loyola Marymount. A few days later she began conference play with her second double-double of the week, tallying 12 kills and 11 digs in the sweep over UC Riverside.

Saraceno saved her best performance for last, notching a career-high 29 kills to lift UC Santa Barbara to a 3-2 win over No. 21 UC Irvine. Her 29 kills tied for third all-time in school history under the rally-scoring format. Saracenos most impressive effort came in the third set of the Gauchos-Anteaters showdown. Down 2-0 and 19-11 in the third set, Saraceno tallied nine kills in the match-changing third set and then six more in the decisive fifth set as UCSB made one of its best comebacks in school history.

For the week, the 6-2 outside hitter averaged five kills and four digs per set. UC Santa Barbara is now 11-2, its best start since the 2002 season and Saraceno has eight double-doubles this season.

Others nominated: Naomi Washington (Long Beach State), Allison Whitson (UC Davis), Taryn Robertson (UC Irvine).