The Tennessee State University volleyball team will conclude its season at home this Saturday against Eastern Illinois at Kean Hall.
The Tigers (9-21, 2-12 OVC) will have a presentation for its seniors beginning at 2:00 p.m. with the match against the Panthers (14-14, 8-7 OVC) following shortly thereafter. The Tigers will look to end a six-match slide and finish 2014 on a strong note.
Seniors Naomi Wells and Taylor Swayzer have led the offense this season. Wells has posted 2.89 kills per set this year while Swayzer has 2.78 and has an attack percentage of .233. Both have also combined for 92 total blocks and 682 combined points. The two, put together, have accounted for 41% of the Tigers scoring this year.
Defensively, TSU has benefitted from their senior leaders in Ileanushka Maldonado and Jaime Cooper. Put together, they have accounted for a third of the team’s total digs (559). Both have 36 service aces and Maldonado has posted as many aces as errors (25), the only Tiger to do so. Maldonado also has the most assists outside of the Tigers’ setter Samantha Beltran, with 86.
The seniors will need to be on top of their game for the final contest of 2014 as they face a Panther squad that has won four matches in a row. During that span, they have lost just one set. They boast the OVC Offensive Player of the Week and the OVC Setter of the Week for last week’s action. Abby Saalfrank nabbed the offensive award after putting down 34 kills and posting two double-doubles. Marah Bradbury earned the setter award after lighting up the stat sheet with 81 assists in just six sets.
Their late season push has put EIU in a four-way tie for fourth place in the OVC.
Match-time is set for 2:00 p.m. but will start a little after that time since the Senior Day festivities will begin at that time. The Tigers will honor Cooper, Maldonado, and Swayzer before the start of the match.
#BigBlueRising
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Friday, November 14th 2014 at 11:52AM
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