COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - It was the Leah Meffert show on Friday evening as the Tennessee Tech volleyball team rolled to a three-set victory over visiting Eastern Kentucky at the Eblen Center. The Golden Eagles, who have won four consecutive matches, captured their second three-set victory of the season with scores of 25-22, 25-19, 25-17.
Meffert got Tech off to a great start as she posted six kills with a .385 hitting percentage to go along with eight digs and a service ace in the first set. The junior outside hitter added seven kills in the second set and five in the final stanza to finish with a match-high 18 kills. Meffert also notched 10 digs on the evening, giving the Louisville, Ky., native her 13th double-double of the season and fourth in as many matches.
"It was certainly a solid performance tonight by Leah," said head coach John Blair. "She played how she is capable of playing every time out, and we'll gladly take that whenever we can get it."
Blair noted that the defense shined through as the match progressed on Friday evening.
"The performance from our middles is beginning to steady out," Blair said. "We're getting good offensive production and they're starting to create defensive opportunities by getting more touches on some balls. Seven blocks and 56 digs [as a team] with the amount of touches we had is an outstanding performance."
Libero Katie Kenline led the defensive back row with 15 digs, her 17th consecutive match with 10-or-more saves, while setter Melanie Culp, right-side hitter Teresa Craig and Meffert each finished with 10 digs.
On the defensive side of the net, freshman Kelsey Gray led he way with a match-high four blocks (one solo, three assists). Junior Marie Peddicord and senior Amanda Lindgren each finished with three blocks and Meffert added a pair of block assists.
Culp collected the other Golden Eagle double-double of the evening as she handed out 36 assists to go along with her 10 digs. She ran the Tech offensive that put in its fourth-best performance this season, finishing with a .250 hitting percentage as a team. Meffert paced the Golden Eagles as she hit at a .368 clip, while middle blockers Peddicord (.353) and Gray (.333) also hit above .300.
Tech now looks forward to tomorrow's match against Morehead State who had just one loss in the OVC entering Friday night. Blair knows that a challenge awaits his team Saturday afternoon, but he believes that his team is ready for it.
"We have people who are ready to come in and contribute," Blair said. "I think we're going to see that tomorrow."
Game time is set for 2 p.m. Live stats will be available through TTUsports.com, and Web streaming will also be available through OVCsports.tv.
