After playing four weekends worth of invitational matches, the Eastern volleyball team will open up Ohio Valley Conference play on Friday.

All teams in the OVC have participated in weekend tournaments preparing for the conference part of the schedule.

Each team’s conference schedule starts this Friday.

The Panthers will open up their season with Tennessee Tech at Lantz Arena on Friday. Eastern posted a 5-9 record in their four weekend invitational while Tennessee Tech went 2-11.

Eastern started the season 5-2 but are riding a seven game losing streak heading into conference play.

Wolinski said that she would like to see more consistency from all areas and if they can do that they will be able to come away with some wins.

Senior Chelsea Lee led with kills earning 146 and sophomore Allie Hueston had 120 of her own.

Senior captain Stephanie Wallace led the team in digs with 254. She had over 100 more digs than the next highest on the roster.

Almost all of the assists came from senior Marah Bradbury who had 455. The next highest was freshman Taylor Smith with 141.

Wolinski said that Smith is a very versatile player and will be used at a few different spots throughout the year and it is only a matter of time until everything comes together and she can show everyone what she can do.

The Panthers played a lot of tough competition throughout their tournaments. Eastern took on No. 13 Ohio State and lost 3-0.

They also took on a tough DePaul team, which Wolinski said only makes them better and more prepared for the conference season.

Murray State went 10-1 in their tournaments and will open their conference season when they travel to Southeast Missouri on Friday. Southeast Missouri went 4-9 in their non-conference games.

Based off the pre-conference standings, Jacksonville State currently sits in second place with a 7-9 record. They will take on Southern Illinois- Edwardsville in Edwardsville on Friday. SIUE went 2-8 in their pre-conference games.

Tennessee State went 5-7 in their pre-conference games and will open up their OVC play taking on Morehead State in Morehead, Ky. Morehead State went 3-11 in their pre-conference games.

Belmont will be taking on Eastern Kentucky on Friday to open up their conference play. Belmont went 3-8 in non-conference play. Eastern Kentucky was able to come away with only one win in their non-conference games going 1-14.

All of the games count now for each OVC team and will all be competing to host the OVC tournament at the end of the season and achieve the ultimate goal of winning the OVC title.

Sean Hastings can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]