RICHMOND, Ky. - Austin Peay State University's volleyball
team ended Eastern Kentucky's six-match home win streak with a 3-1 (25-22,
20-25, 25-9, 25-18) Ohio Valley Conference victory, Saturday, at McBrayer
Arena.
Austin Peay (19-6, 12-2 OVC) had its hands full in the
first two sets as Eastern Kentucky has been a tough team to beat at McBrayer
Arena, posting a 6-1 record prior to Saturday's meeting.
The opening set featured 12 ties and eight lead changes as
neither team enjoyed more than a three-point lead. The set was tied 22-22
before Austin Peay scored three consecutive points to end the set. Junior
middle blocker Taylor Skinner got the ball back in the Lady Govs hands with
with a kill and a 23-22 lead. An Eastern Kentucky attack error gave the Lady
Govs set point and they closed the set with junior setter Sarah Alisaleh's
service ace.
Eastern Kentucky (6-17, 5-8) broke open the second set
with eight consecutive points, turning a 9-9 tie into a 17-9 advantage. Austin
Peay would use a 6-1 run to close within two points, 21-19, but would get no
closer. The Lady Colonels scored four of the final five points to win the set
25-20.
Austin Peay came out of the mid-match break with a new
mindset and controlled the third set wire-to-wire and gained control of the
fourth set at the halfway point. The third set was sucked of any possible
drama, opening with an 8-3 run, extending the lead with another 8-5 run and
closing the set with a 9-1 burst, winning 25-9.
The fourth set was close early with nine ties and two lead
changes, but the last tie came at 14-14. Austin Peay slowly extended the lead,
but a 6-2 run pushed the score to match point, 24-17. Sophomore outside hitter
Kayla Grantham led the late run with a pair of service aces and the run was
helped along with a couple of EKU errors. An APSU service error stopped the run,
but only long enough for junior middle blocker Jessica Mollman to end the match
with a kill.
"We had great offensive balance today," said Lady Govs
head coach Mike Johnson. "It was great to see both Jessica Mollman and Taylor Skinner come alive. Eastern Kentucky played tremendous defense and took a lot
of tenacity to keep the pressure on them. The score didn't do this contest
justice. The third and fourth sets were close until Kayla Grantham broke it
open with her serve."
After relying on its outside and opposite hitter the night
previous in a victory at Morehead State, Austin Peay turned to its middle
blockers against Eastern Kentucky. Mollman led the Lady Govs with 13 kills and
a .440 attack percentage. Skinner added 11 kills and a .333 attack percentage.
The Lady Govs finished with five players recording 10 or more kills and
finished with 58 total kills and a .242 attack percentage.
Amanda Fago led Eastern Kentucky with 10 kills. However,
the Lady Colonels recorded just 39 kills against 24 attack errors to finish
with a .107 attack percentage.
Austin Peay continues its five-match road trip with a 6:30
p.m., Tuesday non-conference tilt at Lipscomb.
- AP -
