“This will be our toughest all around tournament this year,” head coach John Blair said.

 

The Golden Eagles begin the Western Kentucky Invitational Friday as they take on the unbeaten Missouri Tigers at 11:30 a.m. Missouri is 6-0 this season. Tech is 0-1 all-time against Missouri with the only meeting coming in 1992, which the Tigers won 3-1. Tech finishes the day against the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears, who own a 5-3 record, at 4:30. This will be the first meeting between the Golden Eagles and the Sugar Bears.

 

“Missouri is in the Big 12 which is one of the strongest volleyball conferences in the country, and Central Arkansas has seen some improvement over the last few years,” Blair said.

 

Tennessee Tech wraps up the tournament Saturday as it squares off with the host Western Kentucky Lady Toppers, at 1 p.m. The Golden Eagles are 7-17 in matches against the Lady Toppers all-time, including a 3-0 loss in their last meeting in 2009. Western Kentucky currently sits at 5-2 on the season.

 

“Western Kentucky has been perennial power in the Sun Belt Conference for a long time,” Blair said. “We need to reduce our errors and be more in control of the things that happen on the court to have success.”

 

For those who cannot attend the matches, livestats will be provided on the Western Kentucky athletic website at www.wkusports.com.