By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team makes its way to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in Charleston, Ill. this week, competing against the league's best with a bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
No. 1 seeded Eastern Illinois will host the event after clinching the top spot and regular-season title by finishing 15-3 in OVC play. The purple and gold, seeded sixth overall after turning in a league-best seven straight wins to end the regular season and finishing 13-16, 9-9, will square off with No. 3 seeded Lindenwood in the final match of the first round Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. CT.
No. 2 Southeast Missouri will take on No. 7 Western Illinois in the third contest of the day while match-ups between No. 4 Morehead State and No. 5 Southern Indiana, as well as Eastern Illinois and No. 8 Little Rock, kick off the opening day. All matches are slated to appear on ESPN+.
This trip to the OVC Tournament marks the fourth for Tech under fifth-year head coach Jeannette Phillips. Last season, the purple and gold placed second in the final league standings. The Golden Eagles fell to Lindenwood in the first round, 3-0.
THE MATCHUPS
Monday, November 20 – vs. #3 Lindenwood, 7:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Tuesday, November 21 – vs. #2 Southeast Missouri / #7 Western Illinois, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Wednesday, November 22 – vs. TBA, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
History vs. Lindenwood
Lindenwood owns a slight, 3-2 advantage in the brief, two-year history between the two programs. Last season, the two sides split the regular-season series in St. Charles, Mo. before the Lions upset the Golden Eagles in the OVC Tournament first round. This season, the two squads split the season series again, this time in Cookeville. After dropping a heartbreaking, five-set tilt on Friday, Tech bounced back for a five-set win in the Saturday match-up.
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 third in the OVC in points with 4.17 per set, fourth in kills per set with a mark of 3.57, and eighth with 0.36 service aces per set.
In Tech's final weekend of the regular season, Isringhausen was spectacular, racking up 4.45 kills per set while hitting .234 with 2.82 digs per set and two double-doubles. The Edwardsville native currently ranks 11th in career service aces in Tech history.
Setting the Table
Sophomore Jordan Karlen ranks third in the league in assists per set on the season, averaging 10.09 per game. The reigning OVC Setter of the Year turned in an incredible final regular season week of play, capturing OVC Setter of the Week honors for the third time on the year. Leading the team to a trio of wins, she turned in 12.45 assists per set and 4.36 digs per set while posting a trio of double-doubles and securing a career-high in digs.
Finding Her Form
Rookie right side Ava Schubert currently ranks second among the Golden Eagles in kills, totaling 288 overall and averaging 2.89 per set on the year. The freshman tallied 3.55 per set over the final week of play, picking up her first career OVC Freshman of the Week honor. She posted double-digit kills in each of the team's three wins, including 18 in the team's win over Morehead State.
Here Comes the Boom
Boom has established herself as one of the top middles in program history. The Louisville native currently ranks sixth in Tech history in both total blocks and block assists and 10th in solo rejections. She ranks second in the league with 34 solo blocks, fifth with 82 block assists, and fifth with 116 total stops. Her 1.05 blocks per set mark ranks fourth in the OVC.
In the final week of the regular season, Boom earned her second career OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors, securing 12.0 total blocks and 1.09 per set over the three wins. She notched 17 kills and five total stops in the Friday series-opening win over SEMO.
The Defensive Specialist
Libero McKenna Young has been a steady presence for Tech this season, leading the team in digs and digs per set for the fourth straight year. Averaging 3.75 digs per set on the year, she ranks 10th in the OVC. The junior currently ranks fourth in program history in career digs and ninth in service aces.
Photo by Jim Dillon
