Golden Eagles take down Jax State in three sets
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Junior Amanda Lindgren led a balanced
attack, Katie Kenline anchored the defense, and the Tennessee Tech
volleyball team moved to within one game of first place Saturday
with a three-set sweep of the visiting Jacksonville State
Gamecocks.
Lindgren picked up another double-double with 11 kills and 11 digs,
and Tech improved to 8-2 in league play, one game behind Morehead
State at 9-1.
"We played well," said head coach John Blair. "We found some areas
we need to work on, but it was an all-around good effort."
Marie Peddicord was Tech's top hitter with a .263 mark, getting
eight kills. Katie Kenline dug 23 balls in the back row, while
setter Kappy Lang had 33 assists in the three games.
For JSU, Caitlin Vorbeck had 14 kills and only one hitting error
for a .382 percentage. Brittney Whitten had a double-double with 11
kills and 15 digs.
Tech jumped out to an early lead, helped in part by three service
aces to get the lead up to 11-5. The Golden Eagles then got another
ace to inch closer to the win. With the Golden Eagles up 19-9, Jax
State made a four-point run and got the set within six points,
before Tech finished with a 25-16 win.
"We played strong," Blair said. "We got out to the good start and
kept building on it."
The Gamecocks started the second set on a completely different
attitude and took the very early 2-1 lead. However, it was the
Golden Eagles who went on a run to build up a 10-4 lead. JSU used
two of their three blocks in the set in going on a 10-3 run and
claimed an 18-16 lead.
But the Golden Eagles would get the last mini-run with two kills
from sophomore Leah Meffert to take the second set, 25-22. More
importantly, Tech took a 2-0 set lead headed into the extended
break. The set featured 11 scoring ties and six different lead
changes.
The third set was a battle back and fourth from the beginning and
featured seven scoring ties and two different lead changes. But it
was the Golden Eagles who closed out the match with a kill from
senior Caitlin Bullock that gave Tech the season sweep over
Jacksonville State.
Next up for Tech is a road weekend at Tennessee State and Austin
Peay. The Golden Eagles look to avenge an early season loss to the
Lady Govs and move another step closer to the top of the OVC. The
Lady Govs defeated Morehead State on Saturday to move into a tie
with Tech for second in the OVC.
