By Jocelyn VerVelde, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team heads to Austin Peay and Murray State for a weekend that could have a significant impact on the Golden Eagle playoff chances. First, TTU will face APSU on Friday night at 6 p.m. CT, and then head to Murray State on Saturday for a 6 p.m. match.
The Golden Eagles (11-15, 6-4) currently sit in fifth place in the Ohio Valley Conference standings with a 6-4 record. Austin Peay is in sixth place with a 5-5 record, and could even it up with a win over TTU. Murray State is the lone team in first place with a 9-1 record. However, the Racers' one loss came to Austin Peay. The top eight teams will make it into the OVC Volleyball Championships.
"This is a big weekend for us," head coach Dave Zelenock said. "We are playing two of the top teams on the other side of the conference, and we only get one shot at them. Murray has been steamrolling everyone this year with the exception of APSU."
What's In Store This Weekend
Versus Austin Peay (11-15, 5-5)
Austin Peay has been one of the streakiest teams in the conference this season. While they have a 5-5 OVC record, they opened OVC play 4-0 at home. They have gone 1-5 since, but have only played two other matches at home. Jada Stotts leads the way for the Lady Govs, averaging a conference-best 3.75 kills per set. Four other Lady Govs' are averaging at least two kills. Aubrey Marsellis is dishing out 8.64 assists per set, while adding 2.14 digs. Stotts also leads APSU in digs, scooping up 3.48 digs per set, while April Adams comes in second with 3.18.
"Austin Peay has an endless supply of kids," Zelenock said of the Lady Govs. "It seems like they play so many kids and can change their lineups every set and even their forth kid off the bench is good. When their left side and opposite get on a roll, they are one of the toughest teams around. They took down Tennessee earlier in the year and beat Murray 3-0, so we don't take them lightly at all. Last weekend their first option left side went down with injury, and I'm sure she will be ready to play this weekend and get back on track winning like they were. We need to show up for APSU and create some separation in the rankings for ourselves."
Versus Murray State (18-4, 9-1)
The Murray State Racers come into the weekend with sole possession of first place in the OVC with a 9-1 record. Their one loss came to Austin Peay, who swept them 3-0. The Racers are currently on a seven-match win streak, while only dropping a total of four sets. MSU swept SIU Edwardsville 3-0 before defeating Eastern Illinois 3-1 last weekend. Over the weekend, only one Racer notched a double-double; Kristen Besselsen turned in 13 kills to go along with a career-high 19 digs against EIU, while adding 10 digs against SIUE. Scottie Ingram led the Racers with 13 kills followed by Taylor Olden with 9 against the Cougars. Olden led the team with 15 kills, while Alyssa Lelm added 11 against the Panthers. Sam Bedard recorded 79 assists over the weekend. Murray State and Tennessee Tech have faced each other since 1983. In those years, MSU leads the series 33-26. The Racers hold a two match win streak against the Golden Eagles.
"Last year they (Murray State) didn't have their right side who had to redshirt. It threw some of their players into positions that weren't their natural ones," Zelenock said of the Racers. "This year they get to play everyone where they belong and you see what that does. They are super athletic and aggressive, and on top of that they are smart. For example, we will have a great block set up and they will make a great shot over or around it. The Racers are so disciplined on defense that scoring is difficult. It's the most complete team we've seen all year."
Things You Should Know
Last Time Out
Tech topped Morehead State with a 3-0 win, 25-20, 28-26, and 25-16. Over the match, Cody Dodd put together an impressive performance. She led the match with 15 kills, adding eight digs, career-high seven aces, and six blocks. Senior Madison Keyes aided the offense by putting away eight kills on a clip of .333. Kellie Williams finished the match with six kills. Sophomore Sharon Anderson dished out 29 assists, adding eight digs, and two kills. Freshman Jordan Wachowiak led the defense from the frontline. She tallied a season-high eight blocks. Behind her, Tech's defensive specialists scooped up what was not blocked. Senior libero Courtney Smith scooped up a team-high 10 digs, while sophomore Kennedy Wade added nine, and freshman Allison Morrett tallied six.
Honor Corps
The Golden Eagle have taken home four weekly awards from the Ohio Valley Conference so far this season. Cody Dodd earned her second adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honor after earning 6.36 points per set last weekend. Her first came on Sept. 19 following an impressive performance at the Cowgirl Classic at McNeese State. Courtney Smith has earned back-to-back adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors (9/21 & 9/29) for averaging over six digs a set.
Party Like It's 1999
For the second time this season, the Tennessee Tech volleyball team topped the Morehead State Eagles. Prior to this season, the Golden Eagles had not found victory against Morehead State since 2009, but finding success against them twice in a conference season sweep has not happened since 1999.
Where We Rank
OVC Overall Rankings
Team:
Hitting Percentage: 12th - .159
Opponents Hitting Pct.: 4th- .197
Assists: 12th – 10.49
Kills: 12th – 11.03
Blocks: 2nd – 2.02
Service Aces: 5th – 1.38
Digs: 4th – 15.67
OVC Overall Individuals:
Kills: 3rd - Cody Dodd, 3.36
Assists: 8th – Sharon Anderson, 9.36
Service Aces: 1st – Cody Dodd, 0.44
Blocks: 1st – Jordan Wachowiak, 1.24
Digs: 2nd – Courtney Smith, 5.00
Points: 2nd – Cody Dodd, 4.23
OVC Only Team:
Hitting Percentage: 11th - .169
Opponents Hitting Pct.: 4th - .184
Assists: 12th – 10.82
Kills: 12th – 11.62
Blocks: 7th – 1.85
Service Aces: 3rd – 1.31
Digs: 4th– 17.18
OVC Only Individuals:
Kills: 4th - Cody Dodd, 3.67
Assists: 7th – Sharon Anderson, 9.74
Service Aces: 1st – Cody Dodd, 0.56
Blocks: 1st – Jordan Wachowiak, 1.25
Digs: 2nd – Courtney Smith, 5.49
Points: 2nd – Cody Dodd, 4.64
National Rankings
Team
Aces Per Set: 86th
Digs Per Set: 86th
Total Aces: 36th
Total Digs: 33rd
Total Blocks: 92nd
Individual
Aces Per Set: 24th – Cody Dodd
Digs Per Set: 29th - Courtney Smith
Blocks Per Set: 56th – Jordan Wachowiak
Points Per Set: 82nd – Cody Dodd
Total Digs: 13th - Courtney Smith
Total Service Aces: 9th – Cody Dodd
Total Assists: 63rd – Sharon Anderson
Total Kills: 87rd – Cody Dodd
Total Blocks: 69th – Jordan Wachowiak
