By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech beach volleyball team closed out the first weekend of Ohio Valley Conference play with a split performance at the UTC Sports Complex Saturday, earning a victory over Eastern Illinois before falling to host Chattanooga.
The Golden Eagles (4-8, 1-4) picked up their first league win of the year earlier in the day, topping the Panthers in a 4-1 decision. The No. 5 pairing of Katie DiRaimondo and Jazmine Yamilkoski set the tone early for the purple and gold, eking out a 24-22 victory in the opening set. The two battled to the very end in the second set as well, coming out on top, 21-19.
Tech's No. 4 combo of McKenna Young and Ava Schubert made it a 2-0 lead for the Golden Eagles, albeit not without working for it. The duo fell in the opening set by a score of 21-11, but quickly rebounded for a blow-out win of its own at 21-8. In the third and decisive set, the Tech team stood tall, topping the EIU tandem, 15-13.
Clinching the match for Tech was the No. 3 position powered by Brooke Amann and Aleeya Jones. The juniors rolled in the first game on their way to a 21-11 triumph and sealed the deal with a closer tango in the second set, a 21-17 victory. For good measure, the Golden Eagle No. 2 slot of Skylar Boom and MK Roberts cruised a straight-sets win of its own, topping the Panthers 21-12 and 21-13.
"Today was a good bounce back against EIU," Tech head coach Zach Weinberg said. "It was good to see the 4's and 5's grind out wins and the 2's and 3's were thorough in their victories.
The Mocs topped the Golden Eagles in the second match of the day, with a pair number of sets coming down to the wire in the 5-0 decision. Combining for the first time this season, Bella Powell and Roberts gave it all they had in the No. 2 position, falling 21-17 and 22-20. Yamilkoski and DiRaimondo fell in a pair of tight tilts in the No. 5 duals, 21-17 and 21-17.
"We made some changes for the nightcap against Chattanooga and I was pleased with how we responded with a couple pairings of people that have never played together before," Weinberg explained. "Overall, we know what we need to get better about before we see this quartet of teams again in a month."
Next up for Tech is its lone home matches of the year, a pair of dual with OVC foe Morehead State at the Tech Beach Volleyball Courts on Friday, Mar. 29 and Saturday, Mar. 30. Friday's match will start at 4:00 p.m. CT while Saturday's affair will kick off at 11:00 a.m. Admission is free to both matches.
"We have a great opportunity this weekend to play on home sand for the only time this year," Weinberg expressed. "I hope the Cookeville community comes out in droves and gives these student-athletes the support they deserve for our tough match-ups against Morehead State. We'll see everyone at Tech Beach on Friday. Wings Up!"
File photo by Jim Dillon
