TRAFFORD, Pa. (April 6) -- For the fifth time this season and the second-straight week, Thiel College Men's Volleyball outside Ezra Oesterling (Shelocta, Pa./West Shamokin) was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Offensive Player of the Week Monday evening.

The honor marks the 13th time Oesterling has received weekly PAC recognition in his Thiel career and the 11th time a Tomcat has been honored by the conference this season.

Oesterling totaled 38 kills, averaging 3.8 per set, on .329 hitting while serving seven aces and digging 14 balls as Thiel went to 2-0 in league action last week to claim the top spot in the year-end PAC Championship Tournament, which begins this week.

Oesterling tied the Thiel single-match record with 27 kills on .367 in the Tomcats' five-set win at Saint Vincent to clinch the top seed in Tournament. He added a contest-leading three aces, eight digs and three blocks in the triumph. The sophomore kept the Cats alive in the match as he saved a pair of match points at 22-24 and 23-24 in set four with two kills.

At Bethany Friday, Oesterling had a team-leading 11 kills on .259 to go with a contest-most four aces, all of which came on the final 4 points of the match. Oesterling added six digs and two blocks in the win.

His 11 kills moved the reigning PAC Player of the Year into third in team history with 777 career kills. His seven aces on the week pushed him to 105 for his Thiel career as he is second to only teammate Will Zimmerman (Cranberry, Pa./Seneca Valley) for the Thiel career aces record (113).

As the top seed, the Tomcats received a first-round bye into the semifinals as well as hosting rights for the Tournament. The Blue and Gold will take on the winner of #4 Grove City vs. #5 Hiram in the semis Thursday at 7 p.m. on Maenpa Court.