By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team officially gets Ohio Valley Conference play underway this weekend, playing host to in-state rival Tennessee State in a pair of tilts in the Hooper Eblen Center.
The Golden Eagles will square off with the reigning OVC Tournament champs Friday evening in a 6:00 p.m. CT affair and wrap up play with a 12:00 p.m. match against the Tigers on Saturday. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+ with Dylan Vazzano providing the coverage.
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, September 22 – vs. Tennessee State, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, September 23 – vs. Tennessee State, 12:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
OVC Slate
The Golden Eagles open OVC play following a 2022 campaign that saw the purple and gold post its most regular-season wins (17) and league wins (14) since 2008 (the last time the program won the conference crowns). Tech picked up its highest position in the league's preseason predictions during the rally-scoring era (since 2001), tying for first with Southeast Missouri.
Last season, Tech rolled off an impressive 14-4 mark in league play and boasted a 10-match winning streak, the second-longest in program history and the best stretch since the 1983 team captured 12-straight wins. It also marked the longest in-conference winning streak in school history. Tech will now look to build on back-to-back seasons with at least 16 wins and 11 or more OVC victories, the first time the program has achieved those marks since the 2007 and 2008 campaigns.
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 racked up five All-Tournament honors through the team's four non-conference events. 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. Both Isringhausen and middle blocker Ayanna Rodgers were named to the Ole Miss Invite All-Tournament Team and Isringhausen picked up her second award of the year with a UniWyo Invite All-Tournament nod last week.
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 3.19 kills per set, racking up another 21 over the weekend in 7 sets. Isringhausen also turned in her fourth double-double of the season, recording 12 kills and 12 digs against Idaho State.
Up Next
Tech makes its first OVC road trip of the season next weekend, making the long hall to Arkansas for a pair of match-ups with Little Rock. The weekend will kick off with a 6:00 p.m. affair on Friday, Sept. 29 and end with a 2:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Photo by Jim Dillon
