By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team wraps up its non-conference slate of action with a trip out west, visiting Laramie, Wyo. for the UniWyo Invite Thursday and Friday.
The two-day tournament, hosted by Wyoming, will feature a 7:30 p.m. CT match-up with the host Cowgirls Thursday evening. Friday's action will feature a 3:00 p.m. affair with Idaho State. Both matches will be streamed on the Mountain West Network.
THE MATCHUPS
Thursday, September 14 – at Wyoming, 7:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Friday, September 15 – vs. Idaho State, 3:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Striking Early
The Golden Eagles have opened each of their first three tournaments of the 2023 campaign with 3-0 sweeps and will look to accomplish the same with Thursday's match-up against Wyoming. Tech opened the season with decisions of 25-23, 25-19, and 25-20 over Bellarmine at the Mountaineer Classic. The purple and gold then kicked off its home tournament behind 25-14, 26-24, and 25-16 triumphs over in-state rival ETSU. Last week, the Golden Eagles cruised to victories of 25-11, 25-16, and 25-15 over Alcorn State.
Preseason Honors
A trio of Golden Eagles picked up Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, including sophomore setter Jordan Karlen, junior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen, and graduate middle blocker Skylar Boom, the most Tech players earning preseason recognition since 2008.
All-Tournament Displays
A total of four Golden Eagles have racked up All-Tournament honors through the team's first three non-conference events of the 2023 campaign. Boom kicked off the year by earning a spot on the Mountaineer Classic All-Tournament Team at App State and Karlen followed with All-Tournament honors at Tech's Golden Eagle Invitational the next week. Last week, both Isringhausen and middle blocker Ayanna Rodgers were named to the Ole Miss Invite All-Tournament Team.
Setting Things Up
Karlen continued her solid start to her sophomore campaign last weekend, increasing her assists per set average to 9.19 for the year, good for fourth in the league. The reigning OVC Setter and Freshman of the Year already boasts an OVC Setter of the Week honor on the season.
Consistent Attack
Now in her third season as the top offensive weapon for the Golden Eagles, Isringhausen has continued to show the consistency that earned her All-OVC Second Team honors in 2021 and First Team recognition last season. The junior outside currently ranks sixth in the OVC with 3.23 kills per set, racking up another 29 over the weekend in 10 sets. Isringhausen also turned in her third double-double of the season, recording 16 kills and 10 digs against South Dakota State.
Floor General
Junior libero McKenna Young continued to pile up the digs over the weekend, accounting for 36 across 10 sets of action and posting 19 alone against the Jackrabbits. She added 11 digs to the stat sheets against Ole Miss as well and currently ranks ninth in the league with 3.79 digs per set.
Up Next
Tech officially kicks off Ohio Valley Conference action next weekend, returning to the Hooper Eblen Center to host in-state rival Tennessee State Friday, Sept. 22 at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 23 at 12:00 p.m.
Photo by Michael Mann Jr.
