CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Twice Austin Peay State University's volleyball team was two points away from clinching games, but they couldn't find those two points as they fell 3-1 (22-30, 30-26, 32-30, 32-30) to Tennessee State in Ohio Valley Conference action, Tuesday night, at the Dunn Center.

Austin Peay dropped to 8-21 overall and 3-14 in Ohio Valley Conference action. Tennessee State improved to 13-13 overall, 11-6 in league play and remains fifth in the league standings.

The Lady Govs grabbed the opening game after scoring four consecutive points to take a 16-13 lead. That lead would hit eight after a 5-1 scoring run gave APSU a 28-20 advantage which they would close out for the 30-22 victory.

Tennessee State controlled game two from the start, scoring four straight points for a 10-4 lead. Austin Peay would get back within three points, 27-24, but could not get even as TSU posted a 30-26 victory.

Games three and four were nearly identical stories. Austin Peay reached 28 points first in both games, only to watch Tennessee State steady itself and rally for the victory. In game three, Christian Lowe posted two service aces to hand TSU control of the game. In game four, APSU's Jessica Mollman had the Lady Govs three kills late: the first gave the Lady Govs a 28-26 lead, her second tied the game at 29-29 and the third tied the game at 30-30. However, after the match reached 28-26 the Tigers got six kills spread among five different players to rally for the win.

Mollman finished with a career-high 20 kills ? one of three players to post 20 kills for the match ? and posted a match-best .567 attack percentage with only three errors on 30 attempts. Senior Dodi Szymska had 20 kills on 75 attempts. Freshman Sarah Alisaleh posted a career-high six service aces to lead APSU's 13 service ace attack.

Christian Lowe led Tennessee State with 20 kills as five of its six starters posted 10 or more kills. The Lady Tigers ? the nation's No. 18 blocking team ? posted 14 blocks, Endia Oliver leading TSU with eight blocks.

Austin Peay begins a season-ending four match roadtrip, starting with a 2 p.m., Saturday contest, at Tennessee Tech.

- AP -