By Jocelyn VerVelde, TTU Sports Information Coordinator

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team heads to Southeast Missouri this Friday for a 6 p.m. CT showdown.

The Golden Eagles are coming off of a 1-3 loss to travel partner Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala. Freshman Kellie Williams finished the match with a game-high 18 kills on an impressive .268 hitting percentage. Joining her with double-digit kills were junior Cody Dodd and redshirt sophomore Alyssa Povey. Both put down 11 kills. Dodd added 16 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Povey's 11 kills were a season high, and she added four blocks.

"I don't think anyone on the team really liked how we came out at JSU, so I expect to see us come out with a lot more energy and focus against SEMO," Head Coach Dave Zelenock said. "They are a very good team that just happens to have not won. Their overall and OVC record is no indication of their ability."

The Golden Eagles will continue to rely on their defense, which is strong. Tech averages over two blocks per set and over 15 digs a set. Freshman Jordan Wachowiak leads the league in blocking with 1.22 blocks per set. Senior libero Courtney Smith leads the OVC in digs with five digs per set.

What's In Store This Weekend

Versus SEMO (4-12, 0-3)
The Redhawks began Ohio Valley Conference play 0-3. This is the first time since the 2004 season Southeast Missouri volleyball has opened OVC play with three-straight losses. The Redhawks fell to Murray State in three sets, Austin Peay in four, and UT Martin in five. All of which were on the road. Despite what their record shows, Southeast's conference-only numbers look promising. The Redhawks' .227 team hitting clip is third-best in the league, their 13.33 kills per set ranks fifth, and their 2.75 blocks per set is best in the league. The Redhawks are sporting the fifth-best team hitting percentage in the league with a .200 clip; up from .193 entering OVC play. Taylor Masterson (.350) and Kelsey Keeve (.335) rank fourth and fifth individually in hitting percentage. Kill-wise, the Redhawks rank seventh with 12.11 kills per set; up from 11.82 prior to OVC play. In conference-only matches, the Redhawks' .227 hitting clip ranks third. Individually, Masterson has the best hitting percentage in the league with a .422 clip. Keeve (.362) and Nzingha Clarke (.351) also rank in the top-ten in league-only games.

Things You Should Know

Honor Corps
The Golden Eagle have taken home a weekly award from the Ohio Valley Conference each of the last three weeks. Cody Dodd earned her first adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honor on Sept. 19 following an impressive performance at the Cowgirl Classic at McNeese State. Courtney Smith has earned back-to-back adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors (9/21 & 9/29) for averaging over six digs a set for the last two weeks.

Fresh Faces
Tech brought in five freshmen this season, Sam Cash, Allison Morrett, Jordan Wachowiak, Kellie Williams and K'Vonna Johnson. Four of the five have seen the court already this season, and have made an immediate impact. Williams has already had six matches where she reached double-digit kills, including a season-high 21 kills against Gardner-Webb. Wachowiak put away a season-high nine kills against Norfolk State and has recorded four-plus blocks in seven of the fifteen matches she has played in. Johnson, who is currently training as an outside, put down 14 kills against Norfolk State, and in game against N.C. A&T, she tallied 11 kills and five blocks. Morrett recorded a season-high eight digs against UNC Wilmington.

All-Tourney Honors
During the preseason tournament's three different Golden Eagles earned All-Tournament honors. Following the opening tournament at Appalachian State, Kellie Williams earned an all-tournament nod for her impressive play. Junior Cody Dodd, who recorded a career-best 18 kills against Norfolk State, matched that number with 18 kills against the UNC Wilmington Seahawks. She also added a career-best 20 digs, for her second double-double in as many days, adding three aces and two blocks. Dodd's performance over the weekend earned her a spot on the East Carolina Invitational All-Tournament team. The final Golden Eagle to earn an all-tournament spot was senior libero Courtney Smith who averaged an insane 6.0 digs per set following the Spartanburg Courtyard Classic hosted by Wofford.

Where We Rank
OVC Overall Rankings
Team:
Hitting Percentage: 10^th - .159
Opponents Hitting Pct.: 3^rd - .200
Assists: 11^th – 10.66
Kills: 11^th – 11.13
Blocks: 1^st – 2.08
Service Aces: 6^th – 1.37
Digs: 4^th – 15.46

OVC Overall Individuals:
Kills: 2^nd - Cody Dodd, 3.44
Assists: 6^th – Sharon Anderson, 9.51
Service Aces: 1^st – Cody Dodd, 0.35, 6^th – Sharon Anderson, 0.31
Blocks: 1^st – Jordan Wachowiak, 1.22
Digs: 1^st – Courtney Smith, 5.00
Points: 2^nd – Cody Dodd, 4.19

OVC Only Team:
Hitting Percentage: 6^th - .207
Opponents Hitting Pct.: 3^rd - .174
Assists: 6^th – 12.38
Kills: 6^th – 13.31
Blocks: 3^rd – 1.85
Service Aces: 6^th – 1.08
Digs: 1^st– 19.08

OVC Only Individuals:
Kills: 2^nd  - Cody Dodd, 4.62
Assists: 3^rd – Sharon Anderson, 11.31
Service Aces: 9^th – Cody Dodd & Sharon Anderson, 0.31
Blocks: 4^th – Jordan Wachowiak, 1.15
Digs: 1^st – Courtney Smith, 6.46
Points: 2^nd  – Cody Dodd, 5.19

National Rankings
Team
Total Aces: 25^th
Total Digs: 13^th
Total Blocks: 46^th

Individual
Digs Per Set: 27^th - Courtney Smith
Blocks Per Set: 67^th – Jordan Wachowiak
Points Per Set: 82^th – Cody Dodd
Total Digs: 7^th - Courtney Smith
Total Service Aces: 28^th – Cody Dodd, 65^th – Sharon Anderson
Total Assists: 18^th – Sharon Anderson
Total Kills: 31^st  – Cody Dodd
Total Blocks: 50^th – Jordan Wachowiak