Golden Eagles to test perfect start at Greensboro Invitational
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team wraps up its non-conference slate while looking to stay undefeated this weekend, taking on the likes of UNCG, Marshall, and Georgetown at the Greensboro Invitational.
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Team Stats
UNCG
| Game Statistics | Tennessee Tech | UNCG |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .252 | .232 |
| Blocks | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| Digs | 58 | 50 |
| Aces | 8 | 5 |
Marshall
| Game Statistics | Tennessee Tech | Marshall |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .102 | .268 |
| Blocks | 2.0 | 8.0 |
| Digs | 30 | 34 |
| Aces | 3 | 10 |
Georgetown
| Game Statistics | Georgetown | Tennessee Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Hitting % | .201 | .244 |
| Blocks | 14.0 | 5.0 |
| Digs | 60 | 71 |
| Aces | 6 | 5 |
By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team wraps up its non-conference slate while looking to stay undefeated this weekend, taking on the likes of UNCG, Marshall, and Georgetown at the Greensboro Invitational.
Slated from Friday, Sept. 20 to Saturday, Sept. 21, the purple and gold will square off with the host Spartans at 12:00 p.m. CT on Friday in a match scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+.
The Golden Eagles will take on the Thundering Herd immediately following its prior tilt with UNCG with a scheduled start of 3:30 p.m. The weekend concludes on Saturday with a 10:00 meeting with the Hoyas. Tech's matches with Marshall and Georgetown will be streamed on FloSports (membership required).
THE MATCHUPS
Friday, September 20 – at UNCG, 12:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Friday, September 20 – vs. Marshall, 3:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, September 21 – vs. Georgetown, 10:00 a.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Out of the Gates
Tech's 9-0 start to the year represents the best in program history. The Golden Eagles have slung together an eye-popping eight sweeps during the span, balancing a tough-nosed, 3-2 win over Towson. The win was particularly impressive considering the Tigers' 119-17 record since 2019 entering the match-up. The purple and gold have won all three tournaments it has participated in this season.
National Level
As a unit, the Golden Eagles are not only one of 16 unbeaten teams left in Division I volleyball, but also one of just six that sit at 9-0 this season, joining Arizona, Michigan, Syracuse, UConn, and UT Arlington. The purple and gold rank sixth in the country in aces per set (2.34), 10th in opponent hitting percentage (.127), 15th in kills per set (14.14), and 29th in assists per set (12.86). Senior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen ranks fifth in the country with 0.76 aces per set, sixth with 5.60 points per set, and eighth with 4.72 kills per set while junior setter Jordan Karlen ranks eighth nationally in assists per set with a mark of 11.03.
Playing Outside
Senior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen kept her insane pace to open the year trending over the weekend, earning MVP honors for the third straight weekend tournament while leading Tech to the Golden Eagle Invitational title. Helping guide Tech to three more sweeps, the veteran averaged 4.56 kills per set while hitting .326 for the weekend, racking up nine service aces over the nine sets of action on her way to OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Isringhausen climbed all the way to fifth on Tech's career charts for service aces, landing 132 in her time in the purple and gold to pass Leah Meffert (2007-11) and Cody Dodd (2012-15), and Cara Craig Church (1984-87). The Edwardsville, Ill. native climbed past Vanessa Johnson (1980-83), Kim Tunnell (1982-85), and Dodd to move into seventh on the program's career list for kills, sporting 1,299.
Setting Things Up
Junior setter Jordan Karlen continued her remarkably hot play for the purple and gold over the weekend, helping lead Tech to the Golden Eagle Invitational championship with a place on the All-Tournament Team. Directing a dominant Tech offense that hit .285 for the weekend, the Janesville, Wis. native doled out a whopping 12.44 assists per set while adding 2.00 digs per set. Karlen currently sits eighth on the Tech career list for assists, with 2,503 so far.
Floor General
Senior libero McKenna Young made it back-to-back weeks with an All-Tournament nod while leading Tech to the Golden Eagle Invitational title, averaging 5.00 digs per set. She also dropped in three aces and nine assists. Young currently ranks third on Tech's career digs rankings, boasting 1,691 so far in her Tech tenure.
Freshman Focus
Rookie outside Alayna Pierce was a key cog in the Tech offense once again over the weekend, helping clinch another perfect 3-0 weekend and tournament title. The freshman racked up 3.22 kills per set while hitting .200 and pilin gup 2.78 digs per set. She shined with a season-high 14 terminations and nine digs against West Georgia.
Ring the Bella
Senior outside Bella Powell produced another spectacular weekend on the right side for the Golden Eagles, averaging 3.44 kills per set while hitting an impressive .275 in the team's nine sets. She showed her consistency in leading Tech to another tournament crown, racking up double figures in kills all three matches.
Current OVC Rankings
A quick glance at where the Golden Eagles ranks among the OVC statistical leaders:
- Hitting Percentage – Isringhausen (2nd - .322); Jenkins (6th - .286); Pierce (8th - .283)
- Assists – Karlen (1st - 11.03/set)
- Kills – Isringhausen (1st- 4.72/set); Pierce (4th - 3.18/set); Powell (7th - 2.90/set)
- Service Aces – Isringhausen (1st - 0.76/set); Brooke Amann (2nd - 0.56/set); Aleeya Jones (6th - 0.41/set)
- Digs – Young (4th - 4.55/set)
- Points – Isringhausen (1st - 5.60/set)
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
- 2x OVC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2, Sept. 16)
- 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
- 2x OVC Setter of the Week (Sept. 2, Sept. 16)
- Bella Powell
- Charlotte Invitational All-Tournament Team
- McKenna Young
- Charlotte Invitational All-Tournament Team
- Golden Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team
Up Next
Tech officially kicks off Ohio Valley Conference action next weekend, opening league play with a 6:00 p.m. CT tilt at Tennessee State on Friday, Sept. 27. The Golden Eagles then return home to host Morehead State on Saturday, Sept. 28 in a 4:00 p.m. affair in the Hooper Eblen Center.
Photo by Jim Dillon
