By Nate Perry, TTU Sports Information
MACOMB, Ill. – Tennessee Tech volleyball won its first true road game of the 2018 season, closing out tournament host Western Illinois in four sets on Saturday, 25-23, 15-25, 25-22, 25-12.
In the process, Tech starts the season on a definitive high note, returning to Cookeville with a winning record, and the first two victories of Jeannette Waldo's head coaching career at Tennessee Tech.
"It was a good weekend," said Waldo. "I thought we battled really hard, and, a couple of points here and there against Evansville, and we would have been undefeated. I thought we gave everyone a taste of what could be yet to come."
The Golden Eagles' first set played out much like the opening stanza vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday: a scrappy, seesaw affair that featured the same tandem pacing the offensive attack.
After spotting Western Illinois the first five points of the match, Tech traded blows with the Leathernecks before ripping off a six-point run of its own to take a 12-10 lead.
WIU would mount a counterattack and go back out in front 20-18, but Tech would make the final push, outscoring the home team 7-3 to claim the set victory.
Rachel Thomas and Erica Grant each recorded seven kills, produced a combined hitting percentage of .519, and scored six of those final seven points in the first to propel Tech to a 1-0 lead.
Thomas would lead the way with 16 kills and a .367 hitting percentage on the afternoon, and also recorded seven assisted blocks for a team-high 20.5 points. Grant finished with 12 kills and added six digs. The twosome is currently first and second for the team lead in kills through the first three games with 47 and 38, respectively.
Even more sensational is Thomas' attack efficiency. The offensive stalwart has accumulated those 47 kills on only 91 attacks, and doesn't misfire often. With just nine errors, her hitting percentage currently sits at a healthy .418.
"Rachel has been a huge presence for us," Waldo said. "We've been working with her to be more available since the spring and I think that – along with her connection with our setter Susie (Jeziorowski) – kind of shows in her numbers so far."
Saturday's second set will not be mentioned in the Golden Eagles' season highlights, as Tech struggled to convert on its offensive opportunities. As a result, Western Illinois was able to separate itself midway through, and went on to even the match at 1-1.
But, there was a peak after the valley for the Golden Eagles.
Their resiliency came to light again in the third set, as they battled back from another early deficit, and stayed within striking distance of WIU before tying the set at 15. With Western ahead 19-18, Waldo called a timeout that turned out to be exactly what her team needed.
Ali Verzani scored three of the team's next four points with two kills and a service ace to put TTU ahead, 23-20. Verzani turned in her first career double-double with 11 kills on the game to go with 15 digs. She also served up two aces.
"She's just one of those 'gamers' people talk about all the time," said Waldo of Verzani. "She goes to another level when the pressure is on, and she really enjoys having the pressure on her, so she can step up in some really tight situations for us."
With the Leathernecks on the ropes, senior captain Shealene Little and Thomas put the last two nails in the coffin to clinch the set victory.
"Part of our culture that we've built is that we're always going to fight till the game is over," Waldo said. "We're not going to give up – it's not an option. Our players have bought into what we're trying to do as coaches, and they believe in that fight."
A "fight" that undoubtedly showed up again in the fourth set.
Tech jumped all over Western early, capitalizing on the Leathernecks' mistakes to open an 8-3 advantage.
That lead would swell to 20-9 as Little made her presence known, registering four of her team-high six kills in the fourth set over that stretch. This run proved to put the match away for good, as WIU's deficit would get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Susie Jeziorowski facilitated a tremendous game from the setter position with 47 assists, giving her at least 45 in each game at the Leatherneck Invitational. As one could expect from a player who doesn't leave the court, she is also one of the unquestioned leaders on the team.
"As a captain, she really encompasses everything that a captain is supposed to be," Waldo said. "She's ready to put this team on her shoulders, and she's been a very solid rock for us."
"We had kind of a rough schedule, playing back to back, and the fact that we battled hard in all of our games showed our staff how badly the players want this to be a great season. I think we saw the true fight of this team. Now, we're pumped to be back at home, both for our tournament and our regular season game the following Tuesday (Chattanooga)."
Tech will open its home slate against Hampton at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 30, the opening game of the Golden Eagle Invitational sponsored by Country Inn & Suites.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
