Kristen Berlo
With a career night at Cal Poly, Kristen Berlo earned two weekly accolades as both the Big West Freshman and Defensive Player of the Week.
In finishing with career-highs of 11 kills and eight block assists, the redshirt freshman played a crucial role in UCSB’s 3-1 win against the Mustangs in the teams’ season finale.
In her fourth start of the season, the middle blocker was efficient at the net with a .476 hitting percentage while only committing one attacking error. It was the sixth time this season that she eclipsed the .400 kill percentage plateau.
Berlo’s block figures led a stifling defensive effort from UCSB that night, as it held Cal Poly to just a .140 hitting percentage. She got busy at the net early, as she opened the match with back-to-back block assists and tallied two more before the end of the first game.
The Palm Harbor, Fla. native and graduate of Santa Barbara’s San Marcos High School also ended the match well in recording the Gauchos’ final three points of the match off kills. Berlo ended the season starting the last four matches.
With the two awards, Berlo is the third Gaucho to earn a weekly accolade this season along with Ali Spindt (Defensive Player) and Chanel Hoffman (Freshman).
