FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University senior outside hitter Jackie Phiel has been selected as the Peach Belt Conference women’s volleyball Player of the Week for the opening portion of the 2007 season (ending Sept. 3).

The Amherst, Ohio, native averaged 3.60 kills and 3.70 digs in the Patriots’ opening eight matches. The 5-8 hitter recorded five consecutive double-doubles (kills and digs), punctuated by a career-high 28 kills and 29 digs performance against Catawba College on Sept. 1. That five-game contest ended as the high-scoring match in NCAA Division II history.

Phiel posted double-figure kill totals in six of the matches and owns a .283 hitting percentage for the season. She also compiled seven service aces and eight total blocks.

She moved into 13th position on the PBC’s career digs list with 1,334.

The Patriots are 4-5 and will play in the AASU/Chatham Orthopaedic Classic, Friday and Saturday in Savannah, Ga. On Friday, FMU plays Florida Tech at 3 p.m. and the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras at 7 p.m.

Phiel is a former two-time All-Southwest Conference performer at Amherst Steele High School.