Golden Eagles get first win in Jacksonville, 3-2, in OVC action

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - There's a first time for everything and Tuesday night was no different. After defeating Jacksonville State in 2007 in Cookeville and costing the Gamecocks sole possession of an OVC championship, the Tennessee Tech volleyball team was at it again, this time on the road.

The Golden Eagles downed their volleyball travel partner on JSU's home court for the first time, winning a cliffhanger in five sets.

Tech (5-8, 2-1 OVC) returns to Eblen Center this weekend when the Golden Eagles host OVC matches against Eastern Illinois Friday night and Southeast Missouri Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore Leah Meffert led four Golden Eagles in double-digit kills with her team-high 18. Senior Caitlin Bullock had the match-high attack percentage hitting .611, just off her career best.

The first two sets saw Tech get the slight edge and hold onto claim the 2-0 set lead heading into the six-minute set break. The Golden Eagles looked to sweep the Gamecocks for the first time since 2004.

However, Jax State did not want to go down without a fight.

A block by Bullock and senior Kappy Lang gave Tech the 17-12 lead in the third set but a strong comeback by JSU tied the score up at 18-18. A pair of costly errors by the Golden Eagles allowed the set to slip away as well as set four.

After seeing their early 4-1 lead evaporate, Tech looked once again poised to take the match at 14-13. But it was not until an attack error by the Gamecocks at 19-18 that the Golden Eagles came away with their first win over JSU in Pete Matthews Coliseum.

Sophomore Marie Peddicord had a career night with 11 kills on a .417 hitting percentage. Lang finished the match with 55 assists over the five-set win. Both Meffert and junior Amanda Lindgren recorded a double-double in kills and digs. Meffert tallied her 18 kills and 12 digs while Lindgren had 17 kills and 11 digs.

With the win, Tech moves into a three-way tie for second in the Ohio Valley Conference with Austin Peay and Southeast Missouri.