TSU Volleyball Defeats Tennessee Tech in Four

COOKEVILLE, Tennessee --- The Tennessee State volleyball team continued its Ohio Valley Conference winning streak Saturday afternoon in Cookeville, Tennessee as the Tigers defeated 3-1 the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (25-23, 16-25, 26-24, 26-24).

TSU is now 4-0 in conference play, 6-8 overall. TTU is now 1-3 in OVC play, 7-11 overall.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Four Tigers registered season-or-career-highs. Freshman libero Gina Rivera Ortiz posted her career-high digs with 30. Khalia Jordan posted her career-high kills with 17. Julia Pierson posted her season-high kills with 20. Laken Te’o posted her career-high assists with 48.
• Two Tigers posted double-doubles; Laken Te’o recorded her ninth of the season with 48 assists and 13 digs, and Julia Pierson her fourth – second of the weekend – with 20 kills and 13 digs.
• Both teams combined for more than 185 digs – TSU with 95, TTU with 90.

HOW IT HAPPENED­

In a balanced first set consisting of 10 tie scores and 4 lead changes, the Eblen Center was left on the edge of their seats as TSU and TTU battled point for point. The purple and gold’s stat line would prove the Golden Eagles a first set victory, but the Tigers pulled out a 25-23 win.

The Golden Eagles took control of set two early on. Holding the Tigers to a .056 hitting percentage with three TTU blocks, TSU’s offense struggled to produce. Tennessee Tech’s Ali Verzani put up 6 kills leading the Golden Eagles to a 25-16 set two win.

Tennessee Tech led for much of the third set, but TSU pushed to tie it at 20. The Tigers heart showed. Pierson, Kruize and Henderson closed the match with kills, 26-24.

Big Blue visibly gained its energy that was absent throughout the match. In the final set, TSU hit for a match-best .222. Te’o found a rhythm with Jordan to register seven kills. Kruize, Pierson and Te’o combined for two Tiger blocks, and Rivera Ortiz finished the match with 5 kills in the final set. TSU improved to 4-0 in the conference with a fourth set score of 26-24.

MATCH NOTES

• Tigers won the coin toss and served first.
• TSU improves to 18-39 in the all-time series against the Golden Eagles.
• This serves as the ninth four-set match of the season. TSU is 4-5 when pushed to four sets.

BOX SCORE

UP NEXT

The Tigers head back to Kean Hall to kick off a five-game home stand. MTSU will be the first opponent. First serve is set for Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 6 p.m.

TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS