By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It's officially time for Ohio Valley Conference play for the Tennessee Tech volleyball team, as the Golden Eagles play host to Southern Indiana this weekend in the Hooper Eblen Center. Tech will square off with the Screaming Eagles for the first time in program history.
The OVC opener is slated for a 6:00 p.m. CT start Friday evening. The second match of the weekend will kick off at 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Action for both contests is slated to appear on ESPN+ with Dylan Vazzano on the call.
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, September 23 – vs. Southern Indiana, 6 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
Saturday, September 24 – vs. Southern Indiana, 2 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
TEAM NOTES
Tech concluded its non-conference slate with its most challenging stretch on the schedule, falling 3-1 at #21 WKU and then dropping matches to both Indiana and Texas A&M, 3-0. The Golden Eagles handed the Hilltoppers just their eighth set loss of the season.
Leading the Golden Eagles this season offensively have been Preseason All-OVC selections Taylor Dorsey and Madolyn Isringhausen. A senior middle blocker, Dorsey ranks third in the league with a .337 attack percentage on the season. Her 113 kills on the year mark the second-most on the team.
Isringhausen, a sophomore outside hitter, paces the Tech squad with 134 terminations on the season, ranking seventh in the OVC with 2.91 per set. She also ranks third in the conference in service aces per set, boasting 0.50 with 23 total.
Middle blocker Skylar Boom boasts a .290 attack percentage on the year to rank fourth in the league. She also leads the purple and gold with 36 blocks on the year. Right side Morgan Gish joins Dorsey and Boom in the top-10 in the OVC in hitting percentage, ranking sixth with a mark of .281.
Setter Jordan Karlen ranks third in the conference with 8.74 assists per set. The rookie has claimed both OVC Setter and Newcomer of the Week this season. Libero McKenna Young ranks ninth in the league with 3.35 digs per set, pacing Tech with 154 on the year.
SCOUTING THE SCREAMING EAGLES
(2022 record: 0-11, 0-0 OVC | Series Record: 0-0 | H: 0-0 | A: 0-0 | N: 0-0)
Southern Indiana is in its first season competing at the Division I level, joining the OVC in early 2022. The Screaming Eagles dropped a pair of tilts last weekend at the NIU Tri-Match in DeKalb, Ill., falling to Rhode Island 3-2 and to host Northern Illinois 3-0.
Junior Leah Anderson reached the 1,000 kills milestone after nabbing 19 kills in the NIU Tri-Match last weekend. Anderson became the 15th player in program history to reach this feat and is just 19 kills away from passing Rebecca Tillema for 14th most kills all time.
Sophomore Abby Bednar was named to the NIU Tri-Match All-Tournament team after collecting 18 kills, eight digs, seven blocks, and one ace in eight sets played. It was her second All-Tournament honor after earning the award for her efforts in the Kent State Invitational.
The Eagles' defense sits third in the OVC with 1.95 blocks per set. USI has earned a total of 78 total blocks with nine solo and 138 assists.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles hit the road for a pair of in-state match-ups against OVC rival Tennessee State. Tech and TSU will square off on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 6:00 p.m. in Nashville before wrapping up the week with another 6:00 p.m. tilt on Friday, Sept. 30.
Photo by Emily Armstrong