Golden Eagles return home to begin OVC slate with two
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech volleyball team completed
its early season tournament schedule and now returns home to start
the Ohio Valley Conference schedule with a pair of weekend matches.
The Golden Eagles begin by playing Austin Peay (8-3) Friday at 7
p.m, followed by defending OVC Tournament champion Tennessee State
(1-4) Saturday at 2 p.m.
Admission to all Tech regular season matches in Eblen Center is
free. Entrance to the arena is through the south and north doors,
since the main (east) lobby is closed due to construction.
Tech fans can always follow the action live on both Live Stats and
via OVCsports.TV. Live Stats is free for all Golden Eagle fans
while Tech followers can purchase a season pass to watch the
matches at OVCsports.TV. Both are available by following the links
above.
AGAINST AUSTIN PEAY - The Lady Govs, who failed to
make the OVC tournament in 2007, are off to a strong start in 2008.
After downing new OVC member SIU-Edwardsville 3-0 in their first
match of the season, Austin Peay went on to win its season opening
home tournament. The Lady Govs continued their homestand with a
single match against A-Sun opponent Lipscomb, and fell 3-1. On the
road ever since, the Lady Govs had another 4-0 run from the final
two matches at the Kennesaw State Invitational and the first two
while at the Tulsa Invitational.
In its first two five-set matches of the season, Austin Peay fell
both times, once to Tulsa and once to Sam Houston State. Against
SHSU, Jessica Mollman led the Lady Govs with 15 kills while Sarah
Alisaleh chipped in with a double-double of 27 assists and 15 digs.
Transfer Stephanie Champine leads APSU with 137 kills on the season
and is second on the team with 111 digs.
AGAINST TENNESSEE STATE - After defeating Morehead State
in the finals of the 2007 OVC tournament, Tennessee State has gone
on to a 1-5 record including the NCAA tournament loss to Hawai'i.
The Tigers opened the season with four straight 3-0 losses to
Kansas State, Purdue, Duke and Kentucky.
It would be almost a week after the UK match that the Tigers were
able to claim a 3-1 win over Alabama A&M in Nashville. Both
first two sets against AAMU took extra points with the two teams
splitting the sets. Christian Lowe led the Tigers with 16 kills
over the Bulldogs while Candace Saleaumua led the defense with 12
digs.
