By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A strong attack on the other side of the net proved the difference in the final match of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational for the Tennessee Tech volleyball team Saturday, as the Golden Eagles fell to Oral Roberts in a 3-1 decision at Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo.
ORU turned in 52 kills on a .276 hitting percentage while holding the purple and gold to 41 kills and a.130 attack percentage. Tech's foe also turned in eight blocks to the team's four, accounting for the overall 3-1 win.
In the opening set, Oral Roberts pulled away early with a 14-1 run and fended off any comeback bid by the Tech squad. ORU hit .370 with 13 kills while limiting the Cookeville crew to just six terminations to take the opener 25-14.
The two sides battled in the second set, with neither side taking more than a two-point lead until late. The ORU side broke a 16-16 tie with four straight points, finally pulling away for a 25-19 win. Another .300-plus hitting percentage and 15 kills paved the way.
The purple and gold flipped the script in the third set, running off a 25-17 win while posting 10 kills and a trio of service aces. Oral Roberts saw its efficiency plummet, hitting -.031 with eight kills and nine attack errors.
Both teams produced their top marks in kills in the fourth set, with the Golden Eagles tallying 14 overall. Tech's efficiency proved to be the difference, as the purple and gold also made nine attack errors for a .128 attack percentage. On the flip side, ORU tallied 16 kills with just a single mistake on the attack, pulling out a 25-18 win.
Senior middle blocker Taylor Dorsey was Tech's leader on both offense and defense, tallying team-highs of 13 kills and three total blocks. Fellow middle Skylar Boom hit .467 with eight kills while right side Morgan Gish also powered in eight terminations.
Sophomore setter Jazmine Yamilkoski posted her first career double-double with 25 assists and 10 digs, both career-high marks. Outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen produced a whopping four service aces to go along with six kills and eight digs.
Following the conclusion of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational Sunday afternoon, Dorsey was named to the All-Tournament Team for her efforts over the weekend. The senior registered 32 kills and nine total blocks while hitting .361 in three matches and 12 sets overall.
The purple and gold will return to Cookeville for their annual home tournament, the Golden Eagle Invitational, from Sept. 2-3 in the Hooper Eblen Center. Tech plays host to Northwestern on Friday, at 10:30 a.m. CT and then Western Carolina at 7:30 p.m. that evening. The tournament wraps up with a 2:00 p.m. tilt between the Golden Eagles and Evansville.
File photo by Jim Dillon