Purple and gold prepped for weekend slate at Eastern Illinois
October 17, 2024

Purple and gold prepped for weekend slate at Eastern Illinois

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team closes out its four-match, Ohio Valley Conference road stretch Friday and Saturday evening, taking a trip to Charleston, Ill. for a pair of tilts at Eastern Illinois.

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By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team closes out its four-match, Ohio Valley Conference road stretch Friday and Saturday evening, taking a trip to Charleston, Ill. for a pair of tilts at Eastern Illinois.

Friday's tilt is slated for a 6:00 p.m. CT start while Saturday's contest is scheduled to open at 4:00 p.m. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.

THE MATCHUPS
Friday, October 18 – at Eastern Illinois, 6:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video 
Saturday, October 19 – at Eastern Illinois, 4:00 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video 

Strong Start
 Tech's 15-3 start to the year represents the best in program history during the rally-scoring era and is tied for the best start overall with the 1983 squad, which finished 31-9 overall. The Golden Eagles have slung together an impressive nine sweeps during the span while capturing three tournament titles during non-conference play.

National Level
The purple and gold rank 10th in the country in kills per set (14.14), 18th in assists per set (12.95), and 26th in opponent hitting percentage (.162). Senior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen ranks seventh nationally with 4.79 kills per set, ninth with 5.42 points per set, and 40th in the country with 0.48 aces per set, while junior setter Jordan Karlen ranks seventh in the nation in assists per set with a mark of 11.06.

Playing Outside
 Senior outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen led the Golden Eagles with 4.67 kills per set last weekend over six sets of action. She added 14 digs overall while accounting for one service ace. Isringhausen dropped an impressive 18 strikes on Lindenwood in the second match of the weekend, averaging an impressive 6.00 per set. The Edwardsville, Ill. native has earned OVC Player of the Week honors four times during the season.

Setting Things Up
 Junior setter Jordan Karlen quarterbacked Tech's attack last weekend, averaging 10.17 assists per set while chipping 18 total digs. In the first tilt at Lindenwood, the Janesville, Wis. native delivered her 10th double-double of the year, recording 28 assists and 10 digs along with two blocks. She added 33 helpers, eight digs, and four kills in the second match-up with the Lions. The junior has taken home OVC Setter of the Week honors three times on the year.

Floor General
 Senior libero McKenna Young continued her steady defensive presence over the weekend, averaging 4.67 digs over six sets of action. In Thursday's match-up with the Lions, the Murfreesboro native piled up 17 scoops with four assists. She tallied 11 more with three helpers in the second match. 

Freshman Focus
 Rookie outside Alayna Pierce contributed 2.67 kills per set during last week's trip to Lindenwood, totaling 12 digs, a service ace, and a block as well. The freshman opened the week with 10 terminations and seven scoops before closing things out with six terminations and five digs. 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 (8th - .288)
  • Kills – Isringhausen (1st - 4.79/set); Pierce (3rd - 3.35/set)
  • Assists – Karlen (1st - 11.06/set)
  • Service Aces – Isringhausen (1st - 0.48/set) 
  • Digs – Young (6th - 4.59/set)
  • Points – Isringhausen (1st - 5.42/set); Pierce (3rd – 3.81/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 (1,464)
    • 3rd – points (1,710.0)
    • 3rd – service aces (140)
    • 3rd – service aces per set (0.33)
    • 5th – points per set (4.02)
    • 5th – attacks (4,107)
    • 6th – kills per set (3.44)
  • McKenna Young
    • 2nd – digs (1,848)
    • 4th – digs per set (3.93)
    • 4th – sets played (470)
    • 9th – service aces (122)
    • 10th – matches played (125)
  • Jordan Karlen
    • 2nd – assists per set (10.18)
    • 7th – assists (2,880)

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
    • 4x OVC Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 2, Sept. 16, Sept. 30, Oct. 7)
    • 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 returns to the Hooper Eblen Center to host Little Rock in a pair of matches next weekend. The Golden Eagles will square off with the Trojans in a 6:00 p.m. CT tilt on Friday, Oct. 25 before wrapping up the weekend with a 7:00 p.m. affair on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Photo by Jim Dillon