By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team stays in the comfort of the Hooper Eblen Center Sunday evening, playing host to Eastern Kentucky in the first of a pair of Ohio Valley Conference tilts in as many days.
First serve is slated for 7:00 p.m. CT, following the Golden Eagle football game versus Austin Peay at Tucker Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Tech and the Colonels will clash a second time on Monday at 6:00 p.m.
THE MATCHUPS
Sunday, February 21 – vs. Eastern Kentucky, 7 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
Monday, February 22 – vs. Eastern Kentucky, 6 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
TEAM NOTES
Tech is set to host a pair of OVC matches for the second-straight week, welcoming Eastern Kentucky in after sweeping a doubleheader over Eastern Illinois in the Eblen Center last Sunday. Tech claimed a 3-1 (25-22, 19-25, 25-12, 25-16) decision in the first match before sweeping the second, 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-12).
Preseason All-OVC selections Ali Verzani and Taylor Dorsey paced the Tech squad all day, proving why the veterans were chosen by their peers as some of the best in the league. Dorsey led the way with 14 kills and seven blocks while hitting an eye-popping .571. Verzani turned in 10 kills eight digs and three blocks.
Verzani took control in the second match, recording a double-double with a team-high 13 kills and 10 digs on the back of a .478 hitting percentage. Dorsey hit .500 with eight kills and five more blocks to continue her great home-opening weekend.
Setter Ashley Hand did her part in both matches, accounting for 41 assists on 49 kills in the first contest, adding 12 digs to the mix. In match two, the junior collected 29 more assists while registering a kill and a pair of blocks.
SCOUTING THE COLONELS
(2020-21 record: 1-3, 1-3 OVC | Series Record: 24-62 | H: 12-24 | A: 10-30 | N: 2-8)
Eastern Kentucky comes into the weekend at 1-3 (1-3 OVC) after falling in a pair of matches last Sunday against Southeast Missouri.
Freshman Molly Michalak and Lindsey Wilkins lead the way for the Colonels offensively with 54 kills each. Michalak was named both the OVC's Offensive Player and Freshman of the Week during the league's opening weekend.
Seven Colonels have posted 20 or more kills in the early season.
Freshman setter Audrey Eurton has a team-best 186 assists on the year. Eurton is averaging 10.94 assists per set on the year. Sydney Schoen leads the backline for the Colonels with 74 digs on the year. The junior is averaging 4.35 digs per set.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles will hit the road for a pair of OVC tilts at Jacksonville State, starting on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 7:00 p.m. Match two is set for a 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Mar. 1.
Photo by Jim Dillon
