By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – An impressive three members of the Tennessee Tech volleyball team received recognition from the Ohio Valley Conference Monday afternoon, as the league announced its weekly award winners. Graduate middle blocker Skylar Boom earned Defensive Player of the Week, sophomore setter Jordan Karlen was named Setter of the Week, and rookie right side Ava Schubert picked up Freshman of the Week honors.
Securing her third weekly nod of the season, Karlen was incredible in directing the Tech offense in three wins. The reigning OVC Setter of the Year averaged a whopping 12.45 assists and 4.36 digs per set, tallying six blocks and six kills for good measure.
Earning her sixth Setter of the Week honor of her short career, the Janesville, Wis. native kicked off the week with 41 assists and a career-high 22 digs with four kills in a four-set win over Morehead State. She followed it up with a whopping 53 helpers, 16 digs, and four blocks in Friday's 3-1 victory over Southeast Missouri. Karlen finished things off with 43 more assists, two aces, and 10 digs in the team's Saturday sweep of the Redhawks.
Boom picked up her second Defensive Player of the Week nod of the season and of her career after averaging 1.09 blocks and 2.91 kills per set in the three Tech wins. Against Morehead State, the middle tallied four total stops, including a pair of solo rejections, to go along with nine kills.
She upped her game in Friday's win over SEMO, registering five total blocks and an impressive 17 kills on a .343 attack. Wrapping up of the weekend, the Louisville native accounted for three more rejections and six terminations.
Schubert secured her first career OVC honor behind a healthy week on the attack, averaging 3.55 kills per set. The freshman fired off 18 kills with three digs and three blocks in Tech's 3-1 win over Morehead State.
The Davenport, Iowa native continued her strong play into the weekend, starting with 11 kills and two more blocks in Friday's four-set win over the Redhawks. Schubert ended the impressive display on Saturday, tacking on 10 more kills while hitting .278 with three digs and one more stop.
It marked just the second time in program history and first time since 2008 that three different Golden Eagles chalked up OVC honors in the same week. On Oct. 13, 2008, Leah Meffert was named Offensive Player of the Week, Jessica Asplund was the Defensive Player of the Week, and Kappy Lang earned Setter of the Week accolades.
Last season, Tech accounted for three honors in one week, with middle blocker Taylor Dorsey winning Offensive Player of the Week and Karlen taking home both Setter and Newcomer of the Week accolades, all on Oct. 17.
The Golden Eagles will await their exact scheduling for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, which will be held in either Cape Girardeau, Mo. or Charleston, Ill., depending on the outcomes of this week's final regular-season matches of OVC play. The league's postseason event will run Monday, Nov. 20 through Wednesday, Nov. 22 on either Southeast Missouri or Eastern Illinois' campus.
Photos by Jim Dillon
