By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team embarks on a long week in the Hooper Eblen Center, hosting three matches in four days beginning with a Wednesday tilt against Morehead State.
Tech and the Eagles will square off at 6:00 p.m. CT Wednesday evening. The Golden Eagles will then play host to SIUE in another 6:00 p.m. affair Friday night and a noon match-up on Saturday, prior to the Tech football game against Tennessee State at 6:00 p.m.
THE MATCHUPS
Wednesday, October 12 – vs. Morehead State, 6 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
Friday, October 14 – vs. SIUE, 6 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
Saturday, October 15 – vs. SIUE, 12 p.m. | Live Video | Live Stats
TEAM NOTES
The Golden Eagles split its first two contests in program history facing Lindenwood, starting with a remarkable 3-2 victory after trailing in St. Charles, Mo. 2-0 on Friday. The Lions answered with a 3-1 win on Saturday to make it a 1-1 weekend for both squads.
Freshman setter Jordan Karlen ranks second in the league in total assists so far this season, racking up 567 in her rookie campaign. She ranks second in assists per set with a mark of 9.30.
Tech boasts three of the top-10 players ranked in hitting percentage in the OVC, led by senior middle blocker Taylor Dorsey and her .342 clip. Fellow middle Skylar Boom ranks eighth with a .268 efficiency while right side Morgan Gish is hitting .267 to rank 10th.
Outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen ranks sixth in the league with 0.38 service aces per set, compiling 26 so far on the year to rank third in overall aces. Her 3.00 kills per set rank seventh in the conference while her 204 total terminations rank her fifth.
Libero McKenna Young ranks eighth in the OVC with 3.44 digs per set and sixth with a total of 234. The sophomore is closing in on a career milestone as well, needing just 75 more digs to reach 1,000 in the purple and gold.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
(2022 record: 8-9, 4-2 OVC | Series Record: 20-75 | H: 10-33 | A: 7-35 | N: 3-7)
Morehead State has only been involved in two, five-set matches this year, including rallying from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Tennessee State this past Friday. On Thursday, the Eagles bested the Tigers 3-1.
Senior setter Bridget Bessler won her 12th career OVC Setter of the Week honor on Monday. She is just one short of the program record for OVC weekly awards, held by former teammate and two-time OVC Player of the Year Olivia Lohmeier.
Bessler has 3,491 career assists, ranking fourth in program history. She only needs 84 more assists to move into third place past Rachel Messmer (1997-00). Bessler leads the league with 9.9 assists per set.
Freshman M.E. Hargan continues to rank No. 1 among league true freshmen in kills per set (2.57). Andrea Grimes leads the team with 20 service aces. She has 57 career solo shot points.
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
(2022 record: 10-8, 5-2 OVC | Series Record: 8-4 | H: 4-1 | A: 4-3 | N: 0-0)
After falling to Lindenwood in midweek action, 3-0, SIUE rebounded by sweeping Little Rock to cap off a five-match homestand over the weekend. The Cougars embark on a five-match road swing after edging the Trojans 3-1 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday.
Sydney Hummert ranks ninth in the OVC with 2.93 kills per set and fourth in total kills with 205. Four more Cougars have topped the century mark in kills this season, including Savannah Christian (166), Julia Treichel (153), Priscilla Jones (122), and Ainsley Ranstead (111).
Leading SIUE in assists per set and ranking seventh in the league is graduate transfer Caroline Waite with a mark of 6.30. Her 441 total helpers rank fourth in the league. Defensively, libero Nicole Kijowski paces the Cougar squad with 4.41 digs per set to rank fifth in the OVC.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles head back out on the road for a pair of tilts in Cape Girardeau, Mo. against Southeast Missouri. The two teams will square off in a 6:00 p.m. CT match on Friday, Oct. 21 and follow with a 2:00 p.m. affair Saturday, Oct. 22.
Photo by Emily Armstrong
