San Antonio – A couple of thousand miles did the Rattlers good, and two in particular, as they went undefeated in the Setters Fall Classic with Jenna Paul and Victorria Martinez both landing a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

The tournament was held in Pleasantville, N.Y., where the Empire State saw the Rattlers trump their competitors in four straight matches and witnessed freshman Jenna Paul (Alvin, Texas) making her second run at an All-Tournament Team this fall.

Paul’s first few games as a Rattler earned her a spot on the St. Mary’s/Hilltopper Classic All-Tournament Team in the season-opening weekend, only to do it again up north.

The newbie posted an average of 11 points for the first three matches of the tournament (the fourth game’s stats are not yet readily available), peaking in game three against Franklin Pierce with 15.5 points. In the five-set victory over Pace University, Paul posted 32 total attack attempts and brought down 14 digs. In her highest-scoring game against Franklin Pierce, Paul charged for her tournament-high in kills with 13. On the brink of heavy Heartland Conference play, St. Mary’s has found a well-earned dependence on Paul.

Martinez, last season’s Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year, has continued to uphold the hype in her sophomore year. Martinez (Arlington, Texas), the defensive specialist already in St. Mary’s history after her first year, was the second Rattler to earn All-Tournament Team honors at the Setters Fall Classic. The recognized Martinez led the team in digs each contest, posting an average of 24 digs per victory. The five-set thriller over Pace University had Martinez with a handful-33 digs as well as three service aces.  Franklin Pierce saw Martinez’s precision the second day of the tournament with a team-high five service aces and 16 digs. As this tournament as well as the rest of the season has proven, Martinez is not a one-year wonder.

Paul and Martinez and the rest of the Rattlers hope to ride the four-match winning streak into the upcoming weeks of play, which includes four road conference games.

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