By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team breaks open a four-match road swing this week, making its way north to Macomb, Ill. for a pair of matches with Western Illinois for the first time as Ohio Valley Conference rivals.
The week's action will kick off Thursday evening with a 6:00 p.m. CT tilt in Western Hall. The trip north will conclude Friday with a 3:00 p.m. match-up. Both contests are slated to be streamed live on ESPN+.
THE MATCHUPS
Thursday, October 26 – at Western Illinois, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Friday, October 27 – at Western Illinois, 3:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
History vs. Western Illinois
The Golden Eagles hold a 2-0 advantage between the two programs all time, with the two sides meeting at each others' home court once each. Tech took the first-ever meeting between the two sides in Macomb, besting the Leathernecks 3-1 in 2018. In the return match in Cookeville in 2019, the purple and gold came out on top again, this time by a 3-2 score.
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.
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 seventh in the OVC in points with 3.83 per set, eighth in kills per set with a mark of 3.22, and eighth with 0.38 service aces per set. On Friday, against Eastern Illinois, Isringhausen locked down her 1,000th career kill, finishing the weekend with 31 overall in 10 sets.
Here Comes the Boom
Boom has established herself as one of the top middles in program history and turned in one of the best all-around weekends of her career against Eastern Illinois last week. The graduate averaged 3.70 kills and 1.30 blocks per set while hitting .382 in a pair of tilts. The Louisville native currently ranks 7th in Tech history in total blocks and 10th in solo rejections.
Setting the Table
Sophomore Jordan Karlen ranks fourth in the league in assists per set on the season, averaging 9.16 per game. The reigning OVC Setter of the Year turned in 99 helpers with 23 digs and six blocks in Tech's 10 sets last week.
Finding Her Form
Rookie right side Ava Schubert currently ranks second among the Golden Eagles in kills, averaging 2.13 per set with 183 overall on the year. The freshman is tallied 2.30 per set over the weekend, hitting .245 with four blocks and five digs.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles conclude its four-match road stretch with a trip to Evansville, Ind. and two contests at Southern Indiana next week. The two sides will square off at 6:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 3 and finish the weekend with a 2:00 p.m. affair on Saturday, Nov. 4.
Photo by Jim Dillon
