The Eastern volleyball team, which stands at 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, is not overlooking any opponents this season, and that includes east division foe Tennessee State.

The Tigers have the third worst overall record among OVC teams and are 1-2 through three conference games.

“Every match in the OVC is tough match,” Eastern coach Kate Price said. “Any given night, anyone can beat anyone.”

The Panthers will host the Tigers at 7 p.m. Friday in Lantz Arena in their second home match of the season, after 15 straight on the road.

Eastern is coming off of a four-set win at home against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (25-18, 27-25, 23-25, 25-20) on Tuesday.

But Price said she saw several aspects on which the Panthers need to improve on by Friday’s match.

“I think we need to be a little bit better in transition,” she said. “We need to be more efficient blocking. Our middles need to get going. We had a successful weekend with our middles, but didn’t see that (Tuesday).”

A large reason why Eastern will not overlook Tennessee State is because the Tigers are coming off a five-set victory against defending champion Belmont Tuesday night (25-22, 25-17, 20-25, 22-25, 15-13).

Belmont was picked to finish No.1 in the OVC preseason polls this year, and is the same team that ousted Eastern from the OVC tournament in first round last season.

The Tigers took the first two sets at home against the Bruins, before allowing them to tie the match at two. Tennessee State eventually took the fifth set, halting the Belmont comeback.

But the upset win still does not hide the fact that this match will feature the OVC’s top team in hitting percentage in Eastern (.224) against the OVC’s second worst team in opponent hitting percentage in Tennessee State (.232).

Red-shirt senior middle hitter Stephanie Arnold leads the Panthers with a .351 hitting percentage this season — second best in the OVC. Arnold is also second in the conference in blocks per set with 1.03.

Sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Lee leads the Panther attack with 3.43 kills per set. Lee is second in the OVC to only Tigers’ outside hitter Naomi Wells who averages 3.72 kills per set.

Wells, however, is hitting just .130 on the season, while the Tigers .171 hitting percentage in ninth in the OVC.

The Panthers lead the OVC in kills per set as a team with 13.46.

The OVC’s top two setters will also play Friday in Eastern’s sophomore Marah Bradbury and Tennessee State’s senior Erika Moss.

Bradbury leads the conference in assists per set with 10.59, as she continues to be the lone player in double-figures. She leads Eastern OVC-best 12.31 assists per set.

Moss is second in the OVC with 9.91 assists per set. The Tigers are fifth in the OVC with 11.54 assists per set as a team.

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu