By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
MOREHEAD, Ky. – It was a tremendous defensive battle for the Tennessee Tech volleyball team on Wednesday night as the Golden Eagles put up a program-record 22 total blocks, edging the previous mark of 21.5 set against Southeast Missouri on Oct. 12, 2001.
The effort helped lead Tech to a win in the opening set, but Morehead State eked out the second and third stanzas before pulling away in the fourth and deciding set to give the host Eagles a 3-1 victory at Johnson Arena.
The Golden Eagles (11-12, 6-6 Ohio Valley Conference) return to action this weekend with a visit to UT Martin. Friday's match starts at 5 p.m., followed by an 11 a.m. matinee on Saturday.
Twenty-two blocks in a match certainly doesn't come often, standing as one of the largest tallies for Tech in recent memory. The Golden Eagles recorded five in the first and fourth sets, bookending the six tallied in both the second and third. Skylar Boom recorded one solo and 11 assisted, tying the program's records for both total blocks and blocks assists in a four-set match. Taylor Dorsey had two solo and eight assists, joining Boom as the first pair of Tech teammates with double-figure blocks in the same match since Annette Kupka and Maggie Stern delivered 10 each on Oct. 12, 2001.
The defense created offense for the Golden Eagles as the duo led Tech in points scored, Dorsey with 15 and Boom with 13.5.
On the offensive side, Maddie Furtado led Tech with 12 kills and a team-high .333 attack percentage. Dorsey and Morgan Gish had nine kills each, while Maddie Isringhausen and Boom ended the night with seven kills.
Meanwhile, it was tough to top Morehead's 1-2 punch of Olivia Lohmeier and Irene Wogenstahl. The pair had seven of the host's 10 service aces, while Lohmeier had 16 kills and Wogenstahl 12.
The Golden Eagles made a statement in the opening set. With Tech leading 10-8, the visitors rifled off an impressive run, outscoring Morehead State 10-1 with five kills from Furtado during the stretch. Leading 20-9, the Golden Eagles were able to cruise to a 25-16 finish in the first chapter.
Morehead rushed out to an 11-4 lead in set two, but the Golden Eagles were able to chip away as an Isringhausen service ace ended a run that cut the deficit to one at 16-15. Tech eventually tied the set at 22-all, but the hosts escaped with a 25-23 result to knot the match at a set each.
In the third series, outside of four tied points, it was all Morehead even as the Golden Eagles kept it close, MSU taking an identical 25-23 set win to edge ahead.
To close out the match, Morehead State surged from a 5-5 tie all the way to a 21-14 advantage, then Tech chipped away once more, cutting the deficit back down to four points at 23-19. The hosts closed out the match with the final two points on a kill and an attack error to clinch the win.
With the victory, Morehead State stands a half-game back of Austin Peay, the Governors leading with a 10-1 mark to the Eagles' 10-2. Southeast Missouri (9-3), UT Martin (8-4), Murray State (6-5), Tech and Belmont (both identical 6-6 marks in OVC play) round out the top of the league standings.