By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team returns to the Hooper Eblen Center for the first time in two weeks for a pair of Ohio Valley Conference battles with a red-hot Little Rock squad on Friday and Saturday.

Friday's tilt is slated for a 6:00 p.m. CT start while Saturday's contest is scheduled to open at 7:00 p.m. following the Golden Eagle football game against Lindenwood. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+ with Dylan Vazzano on the call. 

The contest will pit the purple and gold against a Trojans crew that sits at 7-2 in league play this season. Little Rock has strung together four straight wins, including a pair of five-set thrillers at Tennessee State last weekend in Nashville. The team's only losses in the league this season have come on the road, including a 3-1 defeat at Southeast Missouri and a 3-0 decision at Morehead State.

THE MATCHUPS
Friday, October 25 – vs. Little Rock, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video 
Saturday, October 26 – vs. Little Rock, 7:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video 

Strong Start
Tech's 16-4 start to the year represents the best in program history during the rally-scoring era and overall since the 1983 squad, which finished 31-9 overall. The Golden Eagles have slung together an impressive 10 sweeps during the span while capturing three tournament titles during non-conference play.

National Level
The purple and gold rank 11th in the country in kills per set (13.99), 18th in opponent hitting percentage (.162), and 26th in assists per set (12.80). Senior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen ranks sixth nationally with 4.80 kills per set, eighth with 5.42 points per set, and 49th in the country with 0.46 aces per set, while junior setter Jordan Karlen ranks eighth in the nation in assists per set with a mark of 11.03.

Playing Outside
Senior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen was the top offensive weapon for the Golden Eagles over the weekend, averaging 4.86 kills and 38.0 points per set. In the team's four-set loss at EIU, the veteran tallied 19 kills, one service ace, and two blocks. Isringhausen followed it up with 15 terminations on a .294 attack, adding an ace, five digs, and a block The Edwardsville, Ill. native earned her fifth OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday for her efforts, setting a program record for the most such accolades in a single season. She sits just two kills away from becoming just the third Golden Eagle in program history to record 1,500 in their career.

Setting Things Up
Junior setter Jordan Karlen directed the Tech offense over the week, averaging 10.71 assists and 2.29 digs per set at EIU. She started with 40 helpers, four service aces, seven digs, and three blocks on Friday in four sets. The junior followed it up with 35 assists, four kills, and nine digs in the 3-0 sweep of EIU on Saturday. The junior has taken home OVC Setter of the Week honors three times on the year. Karlen needs just 45 more assists to become just the sixth Golden Eagle to reach 3,000 for their career.

Floor General
Senior libero McKenna Young continued to lead the Golden Eagle defense, registering 27 digs over the weekend. The Murfreesboro averaged 3.86 scoops per set while helping Tech to a split at EIU, chipping in a pair of assists. Young sits just 125 digs away from becoming just the second player in program history to reach 2,000 in their career. 

Freshman Focus
Rookie outside Alayna Pierce turned in 2.86 kills per set over the weekend, adding 2.43 digs and 3.00 points per set. The freshman opened the week with nine terminations and 10 digs in the four-set loss at EIU. She followed it up with 11 kills on a .250 attack with seven digs and an ace in the team's 3-0 weep over EIU. The Genoa, Ill. native has earned OVC Freshman of the Week accolades twice this season.

Current OVC Rankings
A quick glance at where the Golden Eagles rank among the OVC statistical leaders:

• Hitting Percentage – Isringhausen (7th - .284)
• Kills – Isringhausen (1st - 4.80/set); Pierce (3rd - 3.29/set)
• Assists – Karlen (1st - 11.03/set)
• Service Aces – Isringhausen (1st - 0.46/set) 
• Digs – Young (8th - 4.51/set)
• Points – Isringhausen (1st - 5.42/set); Pierce (4th – 3.71/set)

Career Record Watch
A quick glance at where some of the current Golden Eagles rank in the program's all-time career charts:

• Madolyn Isringhausen
  • 3rd – kills (1,498)
  • 3rd – points (1,748.0)
  • 3rd – service aces (142)
  • 3rd – service aces per set (0.33)
  • 5th – points per set (4.05)
  • 5th – attacks (4,188)
  • 6th – kills per set (3.47)

• McKenna Young
  • 2nd – digs (1,875)
  • 3rd – sets played (477)
  • 4th – digs per set (3.93)
  • 8th – matches played (127)
  • 9th – service aces (122)

• Jordan Karlen
  • 2nd – assists per set (10.19)
  • 6th – assists (2,955)

An Honored Group
A quick look at the honors picked up by the Golden Eagles in 2024:

• Madolyn Isringhausen
  • Preseason All-OVC Team
  • Carrie Yerty Classic All-Tournament Team
  • Carrie Yerty Classic MVP
  • Charlotte Invitational All-Tournament Team
  • Charlotte Invitational MVP
  • Golden Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team
  • Golden Eagle Invitational MVP
  • Greensboro Invitational All-Tournament Team
  • 5x OVC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2, Sept. 16, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 21)
  • TSWA Volleyball Player of the Week (Sept. 3)
• Mallory Jenkins
  • Preseason OVC Player to Watch
  • Carrie Yerty Classic All-Tournament Team
• Jordan Karlen
  • Preseason All-OVC Team
  • Carrie Yerty Classic All-Tournament Team
  • Golden Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team
  • 3x OVC Setter of the Week (Sept. 2, Sept. 16, Oct. 7)
  • 2x TSWA Volleyball Player of the Week (Sept. 17, Oct. 8)
• Alayna Pierce
  • 2x OVC Freshman of the Week (Sept. 30, Oct. 7)
• Bella Powell
  • Charlotte Invitational All-Tournament Team
• McKenna Young
  • Charlotte Invitational All-Tournament Team
  • Golden Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team

Up Next
Tech makes its way to Cape Girardeau, Mo. for a pair of OVC tests against Southeast Missouri. The Golden Eagles open the weekend with a 6:00 p.m. CT tilt on Friday, Nov. 1 before wrapping things up with a 2:00 p.m. affair on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Photo by Jim Dillon