RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky will host six volleyball matches over two days as part of the 2026 Geri Polvino Invitational this weekend.
 
The action begins on Friday at 10 a.m. when Tennessee Tech plays Appalachian State.  EKU will take on Presbyterian at 1 p.m.  Appalachian State and Presbyterian will face each other at 4 p.m.  Friday's action wraps up with EKU and Tennessee Tech at 7 p.m. 
 
On Saturday, Presbyterian and Tennessee Tech will play at 11 a.m., and EKU and Appalachian State will close out the event at 2 p.m.
 
The Colonels' match against Presbyterian will air live on ESPN+.
 
THE COLONELS
-  EKU improved to 7-2 on the season after sweeping Marshall at home on Tuesday.
 
-  Emma Closurdo tied her career-high with five blocks against the Thundering Herd.  She also had a match-high 14 kills with a .417 attack percentage.
 
-  Emilee Hill served up four aces against Marshall, including three during a 5-0 run in the third set when Eastern turned a 4-point deficit into a 1-point lead.
 
-  Caitlyn Flees is fourth in the United Athletic Conference in blocks (1.16/set).  She has 11 blocks in the last two matches and is 32nd in the nation in total blocks (44).
 
-  EKU is second in the UAC in hitting percentage (.227) and assists (11.92/set).
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
-  Presbyterian sits and 6-5 this season.  The Blue Hose lost two of three this past weekend at the Queens Fall Classic, beating Buffalo (3-1) before falling to Chattanooga (3-1) and Queens (3-0).  
 
-  Emma McHatten leads PC with 3.00 kills per set.  Courtney Williams averages 2.63 kills with a .317 attack percentage. 
 
-  Tennessee Tech is 3-5 in 2026.  The Golden Eagles opened the season with losses to North Dakota State (3-0) and Tulane (3-0), and then won three in a row over Austin Peay (3-2), Green Bay (3-2) and Tennessee State (3-0).  TTU is coming off three losses to Idaho State (3-1), Air Force (3-1) and Little Rock (3-0) in Colorado Springs.
 
-  Alayna Pierce leads the team with 4.10 kills per set.  No other Golden Eagle averages more than 1.89.  Ella Watford contributes 4.34 digs per set.
 
-  Appalachian State fell to 5-6 on the year after losing 3-0 at North Carolina State on Tuesday.  ASU won two of three last weekend at its own Mountaineer Classic, beating William & Mary (3-0) and Western Carolina (3-1) but losing to North Florida (3-2).
 
-  Bella Hutchens averages a team-best 3.04 kills per set.  Nevaeh Hays (1.11), Lou Johnson (1.08) and Chelsea Gilmore (0.95) all average nearly a block or more per set. 
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  This will be the first-ever meeting between EKU and Presbyterian. 
 
-  Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky are former members of the Ohio Valley Conference.  The Colonels hold a 65-25 edge in the all-time series.  The two programs first met in 1969, but have not faced each other since 2020.
 
-  The series with Appalachian State is tied 3-3.  The first meeting came in 1979.  The two programs have played three times in the last five seasons with ASU winning two of them, including the most recent, 3-2, on Aug. 30, 2025 in Charleston, South Carolina.