By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the first time in her young career, Tennessee Tech sophomore Jazmine Yamilkoski took home top honors from the Ohio Valley Conference for her performance on the court, with the league announcing its weekly accolades Monday afternoon.
Yamilkoski took home her first OVC Setter of the Week award after a spectacular showing in the Golden Eagle Invitational over the weekend, helping lead Tech to its first victory of the year. She compiled 68 assists, 13 digs, and six blocks over six sets of action, averaging 11.33 assists, 2.17 digs, and 1.00 blocks per set while allowing guiding the team to a .240 attack percentage under her guidance.
The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native jumped into action in the third set of the team's 3-1 loss to Western Carolina, providing a huge spark for a comeback bid. She helped propel the Golden Eagles to a 27-25 set three victory, totaling nine helpers. She followed it up with 12 more in the fourth set, an eventual 26-24 loss.
She upped the ante in the team's win 3-1 win over Evansville, exploding for a career-high 47 assists and her second double-double with 10 digs, in addition to four blocks. Yamilkoski turned in 11 helpers in the first set, a 25-22 loss, establishing a broad sense of consistency for the match.
The sophomore distributed 12 more with a pair of blocks in helping Tech square things at 1-1 in a 25-20 set 2 win. Eleven more assists and a block paced the purple and gold to a 25-13 victory in set three. Yamilkoski wrapped things up with a 25-15 win in set four backed by 13 assists, five digs, and one more rejection.
Tech will return to action next Friday, Sept. 9 with a 3:30 p.m. CT tilt against Loyola Maryland to open play at Ohio's Bobcat Invitational. The tournament is set to take place in Athens, Ohio and will feature a pair of Saturday matches against Bradley and the host Bobcats.
Photo by Jim Dillon