By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team kicks off wraps up its four-match road swing Sunday evening, visiting Murray State for a pair of tilts to round out the road schedule for the 2021 regular season campaign.
The first match is set for a 6:00 p.m. first serve Sunday evening while the second match of the weekend is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. start on Monday. Action for both contests is slated to appear on ESPN+.
THE MATCHUPS
Sunday, March 21 – at Murray State, 6 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
Monday, March 22 – at Murray State, 4 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
TEAM NOTES
Tech wraps up its four-game road swing and the road portion of its schedule with a pair of matches in Murray, Ky., squaring off with the Racers on Sunday and Monday. The Golden Eagles (5-7, 5-7) split last week's road action at Tennessee State, falling 3-2 (25-16, 25-19, 17-25, 16-25, 15-13) in the opener before rallying for a 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-15) sweep in the second match-up.
Leading the way offensively this season for the purple and gold has been Preseason All-OVC selection Ali Verzani. The senior has racked up team-highs of 119 kills, 24 service aces and 155.0 points while also totaling 95 digs (second on the team) and 18 total blocks.
Middle blockers Taylor Dorsey and Skylar Boom have paced the Golden Eagles on the defensive end, each recording a team-high 43 total blocks on the year. Boom owns a team-high 14 block solos while ranking second on the team with 98 kills and 126.5 points. Dorsey, the second of Tech's two Preseason All-OVC selections, has registered 93 kills of her own with a team-high hitting percentage of .289. She ranks third on the squad with 118.5 points.
Rookie libero McKenna Young has been a steady presence for the purple and gold, totaling a team-high 157 digs. Junior setter Ashley Hand leads the way with 411 assists on the year, averaging 9.34 per set.
SCOUTING THE RACERS
(2020-21 record: 5-7, 5-7 OVC | Series Record: 27-40 | H: 15-16 | A: 10-21 | N: 2-3)
Murray State (5-7, 5-7) enters the weekend after splitting a pair of matches at home against Eastern Illinois last week. The Racers collected a 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-12) win to open play against the Panthers, but fell in the Monday rematch, 3-1 (16-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-23).
Jayla Holcombe is the top attacker for the Racers, leading the team with 164 kills on the year. She has chipped in 15 total blocks as well to lead the team with 175.5 points. Kolby McClelland ranks second for Murray State with 130 kills.
Taylor Beasley paces Murray State with 22 total blocks while Morgan Price has added 17 to the mix. Callie Anderton, the team's setter, has registered 430 assists on the season for a 9.56 per-set mark. She also owns a team-high 12 service aces.
A pair of Racers top the squad in digs, with Becca Fernandez boasting a whopping 278 on the year to lead the OVC. Dahlia Miller joins her teammate in triple figures, tallying 119 digs this season.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles return to the Hooper Eblen Center to close out the 2020-21 campaign, taking on in-state foe Belmont on Sunday, Mar. 28 at 7:00 p.m. CT. The final match of the year is slated for Monday, Mar. 29, at 6:00 p.m.
Photo by Jim Dillon