By Jonathan Caudle, TTU Sports Information
THE MATCHUP
Saturday, November 2 – UT Martin, 11 a.m. | Live Stats
MARTIN, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech opens up their final road trip of the regular season this weekend as they travel to take on the Skyhawks of UT Martin on Saturday, November 2 at 11 a.m. at the Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
The Golden Eagles are coming off a midweek matchup against Jacksonville State, which the Golden Eagles fell in a four-set affair. The Golden Eagles won the opening set, 25-21, before dropping three in a row to the Gamecocks (23-25, 21-25, 23-25).
TEAM NOTES
- Ali Verzani led the Golden Eagles against Jacksonville State with a team-high 17 kills.
- Rachel Thomas also tallied double-digit kills against the Gamecocks this past Wednesday, recording 10.
- Ashley Hand led the Golden Eagles with 41 assists, while leading the team to a .159 hitting percentage against the Gamecocks.
- Hand added a team-high 13 digs to tally her 11th double-double of the season.
- Taylor Dorsey was the Golden Eagles lead net-defender against Jacksonville State as she tallied a match-high seven blocks.
SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
(2019 Record: 9-17, 5-6 OVC | Series Record 39-23)
UT Martin carries a 9-17 overall record and 5-6 conference record into Saturday's contest against the Golden Eagles. The Skyhawks are coming off a five-set thriller on Tuesday in which the Skyhawks dropped the five-set affair to the Redhawks.
Gintar Mackeviciute and Logan Wallick have led the Skyhawks offensively this season collecting 221 and 218 kills per set, while averaging 2.35 and 2.76 kills per set, respectively. Kenzie Hinshaw has collected a team-high 838 assists this season, helping the Skyhawks to a .177 hitting percentage. Defensively, Kenzie Hinshaw and Jamie Rys have been back row staples this season for the Skyhawks, collecting 226 and 216 digs, respectively. Justine Walker has garnered a team-high 113 blocks so far this season.
Tech holds the all-time series lead over the Skyhawks, 39-23. However, UT Martin has claimed the previous two contests against the Golden Eagles, with Tech's last win coming in a 3-1 victory during the 2016 season.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles will close out their final regular-season road trip next weekend as they take on Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky on Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9.
Photo by Thomas Corhern