Hempstead, NY - Following a strong opening weekend for the Hofstra volleyball team, a pair of Pride players earned weekly awards from the CAA as Beatriz Braga was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week and Geovanna Gonçalves Rocha garnered CAA Defensive Player of the Week accolades. 

Hofstra went 2-1 at the Penn State Invitational with wins over High Point and Connecticut and the lone loss to the #10 Nittany Lions. 

Braga was outstanding for the Pride in their three matches at the Penn State Invitational. Braga totaled 40 kills, 22 digs, seven blocks, five service aces, and three assists as Hofstra went 2-1 at the tournament, with the lone loss to #10 Penn State. She was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts. Braga got her season started in a big way with a 20-kill effort in the season-opening four-set win over High Point on Saturday. Braga hit a spectacular .516 in the match and added six digs, three service aces, and three blocks. It was her eighth career match with at least 20 kills. She followed that up with 14 kills and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season in the sweep of Connecticut on Sunday afternoon. In the Pride's final match of the weekend, Braga had six kills, six digs, and three blocks against the nationally ranked Nittany Lions. For the week, she averaged 4.00 kills, 2.20 digs, 0.70 blocks, and 0.50 service aces per set. She hit .346 overall for the week.  

Gonçalves Rocha had a strong start to her Pride career as she was a force defensively for Hofstra in their three matches. Gonçalves Rocha totaled 16 blocks over Hofstra's three matches and added eight kills. She had at least five blocks in all three matches this weekend. She got started with six blocks and four kills against High Point. Gonçalves Rocha followed that up with five blocks and three kills in the sweep of Connecticut and then closed the weekend with five blocks against #10 Penn State. Gonçalves Rocha averaged 1.60 blocks per set.