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RICHMOND, Ky. – After playing only one of its first 14 matches of the season at home, the 2008 Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team is entering uncharted territory, the Colonels will play four straight home matches beginning Friday against Tennessee Tech.

EKU will host Tennessee Tech on Friday at 7 p.m. The Colonels will play Jacksonville State at McBrayer Arena at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

By a slim margin, the Colonels (2-12, 1-4 OVC) have lost three straight matches. Eastern led by a score of 1-0 in two of those matches before falling 3-1. In the third, a five-set thriller at UT Martin, EKU had a 2-1 lead before seeing the Skyhawks mount a comeback.

Before last weekend’s matches at Murray State and UT Martin, the Colonels learned that sophomore setter Kate Hendle would return after missing the first 12 games due to an injury. Having the experienced setter back in the line-up made a noticeable difference. Against the Racers and Skyhawks, Hendle totaled 87 assists (9.67 per set). She added 10 kills, made only one error and posted a .474 attack percentage. In her first match of 2008, the sophomore contributed 43 assists, five kills and two blocks against Murray State. The next day, she finished with 44 assists, five kills and two blocks against UT Martin.

As a team, with Hendle on the court the Colonels are averaging nearly four more kills per set, hitting over 50 points better, averaging almost three more assists per set and seeing an extra block every two sets.

Junior newcomer Lindsey Loescher leads the team with 165 kills (3.24 per set). Senior Amanda Wilson has 106 kills (2.08 per set) and a team-best 21 blocks. Abby O'Connor has 210 digs and averaged 5.38 digs per set in two matches last weekend, more than one full dig higher than her season average of 4.12.

Tennessee Tech (7-8, 4-1 OVC) has won four straight conference matches since dropping its OVC opener. The Golden Eagles beat Tennessee State (3-1), Jacksonville State (3-2), Eastern Illinois (3-0) and Southeast Missouri (3-0).

Amanda Lindgren leads the team with 148 kills (2.85 per set), but Leah Meffert is close behind with 131 (2.52 per set). Kappy Lang is the team’s primary setter, averaging a conference-best 9.88 assists per set. Caitlin Bullock (38) and Jessica Asplund (33) lead the team in blocks.

Jacksonville State (6-10, 2-3 OVC) rebounded from a 1-2 start to conference play to beat Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri in shutout fashion last weekend. Brittney Whitten, winner of the offensive and defensive player of the week awards on Sept. 22, leads the team with 217 kills (3.68 per set) and is second on the squad with 233 digs (3.95 per set). Caitlin Vorbeck has 199 kills. Kara Slater leads the Gamecocks with 29 blocks.