By Layne Weitzel, TTU Sports Information

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After opening the Hampton Inn Holly Springs Invitational yesterday with just one game, Tennessee Tech faced a full day Saturday with a double-header on its schedule.

Tech (2-1) gutted out a five-set win (25-19, 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-13) over The Citadel (1-2) in its earlier match-up Saturday afternoon and stepped on the court again about two hours later in a three-set loss to host school Campbell (20-25, 22-25, 22-25).

"It was pretty back and forth. Even the stuff that we lost, we were in it and we had control and the ability to win and we just didn't put them away," said head coach Dave Zelenock on Tech's gritty win over The Citadel.

"We made some phenomenal plays. It was neat because both groups' fans were cheering for each team because there were just so many high-level plays going on.

"We were put in a very tough situation going five (sets) before (the Campbell match) and having to turn around. To our credit, we didn't physically look that bad. We weren't jumping lower, moving slower or anything like that. It was just more mental fatigue."

Now three matches into the season, Tech has a better idea of what its team will look like moving forward.

"It gets really hard at the end of preseason to know what you really are," said Zelenock. "Seeing them out there against another team is great because we kind of know what we have. There were a lot of question marks, especially in the outside position, and it looks like the two that ran the weekend were pretty darn good."

Those two, senior Kellie Williams and junior Shealene Little, were named to the all-tournament team for their efforts this weekend.

After totaling seven kills Friday against North Carolina Central, Williams exploded for a combined 30 kills Saturday (17 against Campbell and 13 against The Citadel). She also totaled nine digs throughout the tournament.

Little's standout game came against The Citadel, when she totaled 19 kills (a career-high), 14 digs and a .381 hitting percentage. As a whole, she combined for 34 kills, 33 digs and four block assists.

A set-by-set-breakdown of both matches:

vs. THE CITADEL

SET 1

The Citadel kept the score tight throughout the opening set, not allowing Tech to go up by more than three points. Two attack errors by the Bulldogs and a Shealene Little kill, extending Tech's lead to 18-13, forced a Bulldog timeout.

The Citadel would inch closer at 23-19 and cause Tech to pause play, but a block by Rachel Thomas and Kellie Williams gave Tech a 1-0 set lead.

SET 2

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-2 lead early and forced two Tech timeouts before going ahead 17-8. However, the Golden Eagles responded, going on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 17-14. After a Bulldog timeout, The Citadel went up 24-20, and an unfortunate service error by Tech allowed the Bulldogs to tie the game up 1-1 in sets.

SET 3

Neither team gave up more than a 3-point lead until late in the set. With Tech up 17-16, Kellie Williams registered a kill, Allison Morrett totaled two service aces and The Citadel had an attack error to give Tech the 21-16 lead. The Golden Eagles would go on to win that set 25-20.

SET 4

Much like the previous set, the Bulldogs and Golden Eagles failed to pull away by more than a point until two-straight kills from The Citadel gave them the 21-19 lead. Tech would eventually close the gap to 23-22, but the Bulldogs pulled away at the end 25-22.

SET 5

With both teams tied up at two sets each and only needing 15 points to win the game, the Golden Eagles jumped on The Citadel early to lead 10-5. Tech gave up four-straight points, but a pair of kills from Little and a kill from Taylor Houck would force a Bulldog timeout with Tech up 13-10. The Citadel regrouped, going on a 3-1 run to trail 14-13, but a Little kill locked up the set and game win for Tech at 15-13.

at CAMPBELL

SET 1

Tech started the set up 10-7, but Campbell (3-0) went on a 14-6 run to pull ahead 21-16 and force a Tech timeout. The Golden Eagles closed the gap to three points, but the Lady Camels would go on to take the first set 25-20.

SET 2

Campbell continued its momentum from the previous set to lead 6-1 early. Tech responded, tying up the set at 12-12. The two teams traded points to reach 17-all before Campbell went on a 3-0 run to lead 20-17. It would go on to win the set 25-22 after Tech fought off the set point twice.

SET 3

Needing a set win to continue the match, Tech opened up the third set with a 10-7 lead. Campbell came back from the deficit to tie it up at 15-15. After a brief bout of trading points, the Lady Camels pulled away and looked as though they had the win sealed at 24-20. Tech pulled within two at 24-22 to force a Campbell timeout, but a Camel kill just afterward led to the set and match win.

2017 HAMPTON INN HOLLY SPRINGS INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

UP NEXT

Tech travels to Akron, Ohio for the Akron Invitational hosted by the Zips. The Golden Eagles will open the tournament Friday afternoon against La Salle and play a double-header Saturday vs. Akron and Loyola (Md).

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