By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech beach volleyball team dropped its first of two match-ups with Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead State for the weekend, falling to the visiting Eagles Friday afternoon in a 5-0 decision at the Tech Beach Courts.
For Tech (3-9, 1-4), the No. 1 pairing of Bella Powell and Alayna Pierce pushed their opponents the hardest on the day, falling in a three-set war, 2-1. The Golden Eagle duo earned an impressive 21-12 win in the first set against Morehead's Bella Marita and Irene Wogenstahl, but the visiting pair flipped the score in set two for a 21-12 win of their own. The Morehead State (10-7, 4-1) side edged Powell and Pierce in the deciding fight, taking a 15-12 decision.
At the No. 2 slot, the Eagles' Sydney Wyman and Sarah Heath teamed up to defeat the Golden Eagle tandem of Jordan Karlen and Brooke Amann in straight sets, 21-13 and 21-16. Tech's No. 3 pairing of Aleeya Jones and MK Roberts fought to the bitter end in a pair of tight duels, eventually falling to Morehead's M.E. Hargan and Peighton Isley by tight scores of 23-21 and 24-22.
The No. 4 purple and gold duo of Jazmine Yamilkoski and McKenna Young came up on the wrong of scores of 21-17 and 21-11 while battling the Eagles' Brenna Bommer and Shea Hefner. Rounding out the scoring in the No. 5s, MSU's Courtney Fitzgerald and Hollan Everett defeated the Cookeville crew's Emma Pabon and Ava Schubert, 21-14 and 21-6.
Competing as an extra, non-scoring pairing, Tech's combo of Bella Lineberger and Ayanna Rodgers fell in straight sets at the hands of Landyn Snowden and Amelia Nott.
Tech and Morehead State will square off again on Saturday morning with an 11:00 a.m. CT tilt at the Tech Beach Courts. Director of Volleyball Jeannette Phillips, who served as the Golden Eagle head coach for the first seven tilts of the year, and new head coach Bella Borgiotti will each be honored with commemorative volleyballs to honor their first career wins directing the purple and gold.
Saturday's match-up will also represent Senior Day, with Golden Eagle seniors Brooke Amann, Aleeya Jones, Emma Pabon, Bella Powell, Elena Wallace, Jazmine Yamilkoski, and McKenna Young all set to be recognized prior to the contest.
Photo by Thomas Corhern
