As senior weekend kicks off tonight at 7 against Eastern Illinois, the Tech volleyball team looks to clench a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.”It’s sad that this is our last weekend of home games,” senior Leah Meffert said. “I’ve been playing volleyball since first grade. I’m looking forward to starting the real world.”
Meffert will enter tonight’s match needing just eight kills to break Tech’s all-time kill record, which was set by Rachel Melchiorre in 1997.
“It would be like setting a standard for those to come,” Meffert said. “It will be really special to leave my impression. I’m more focused on winning and making it to the conference tournament, but breaking the record will be in the back of my mind.”
If Tech wins both matches, it will lock up a position in the OVC tournament. With a record of 7-9 in conference play, Tech is at a dead tie with EIU.
“Last time we played EIU, all of the sets were really close,” senior Marie Peddicord said. “We have improved a lot, and it will be a good match-up. The ball is in our court. We just have to take care of business.”
The next home match will be tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 against Southeast Missouri. This will mark the last home match for Melanie Culp, Leah Meffert, Marie Peddicord and Laura Pierce, and they will be honored for their four years of success at the Senior Day activities.
“Even though SEMO’s conference record does not show it, they always give us a run for our money,” Peddicord said. “We can’t take them lightly. They beat us last year at home and took pictures in front of our basketball goal, so that left a bitter taste in our mouths. We won’t let it happen again!”
SEMO has a record of 3-9 in conference play and has been defeated by Tech 3-2 in the last three seasons.
“It has been a great four years,” said Peddicord. “I am glad to have made such great friendships and memories.”
Peddicord and Meffert agreed that their greatest memory of their careers was winning the conference tournament their sophomore year.
“Getting into the conference tournament is what we train for,” Meffert said. “If we win the conference championship my senior year, words would not describe how happy I would be.
