CHARLESTON, Ill. - Austin Peay State University's volleyball team remained unbeaten in Ohio Valley Conference play with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-18) victory against Eastern Illinois, Saturday, at Lantz Arena.

Austin Peay (9-4, 3-0 OVC) won a hotly-contested match needed late surges to win the first two sets and then fending off a mid-set rally by Eastern Illinois in the third set.

Neither team enjoyed more than a two-point advantage in the first set and exchanged the lead eight times and saw the score tied 13 times in the first 38 points. With the set tied, 19-19, Austin Peay scored consecutive points - a kill by senior opposite Kirstin Distler and an Eastern Illinois attack error - to take a 21-19 lead. Moments later, APSU posted three straight kills, including a pair of kills by senior outside hitter Stephanie Champine, to build a 24-20 edge they would use to win the set, 25-21.

The second set was more of the same with the teams exchanging the lead six times and fighting through 14 ties. Austin Peay would lead by no more than three points through the set's first 42 points. Eastern Illinois took advantage of two Austin Peay errors to take a 22-21 lead. However, sophomore outside hitter Ilyanna Hernandez had two kills in a set-ending 4-1 APSU spurt to secure the 25-23 win.

Austin Peay tried to run away and hide in the third set scoring the first seven points - one each on kills by Champine, sophomore middle blocker Taylor Skinner and junior middle blocker Jessica Molllman, two on service aces by sophomore libero Paige Economos and another two courtesy of EIU attack errors. Eastern Illinois slowly but steadily chipped away at the early deficit and trimmed it to two points, 17-15, after a pair of APSU attack errors but could get no closer as the Lady Govs closed the match with an 8-3 run.          

"Today's match was a good example of doing whatever it takes to win," said Lady Govs head coach Mike Johnson. "Our serve receive was very good and our outside hitters were excellent. Champine and Hernandez both put up some big numbers."

Champine finished with a match-high 20 kills - her most in a three-set match this season and her second 20-kill performance this season. She also posted a .362 attack percentage - her second-best effort this season - committing just three errors on 47 attempts.

Hernandez chipped in 10 kills and Skinner added seven kills as Austin Peay needed 44 kills to record the victory. The Lady Govs offense recorded only 13 errors in the contest and finished with a .263 attack percentage. Austin Peay also won the back-row defensive battle with a 53-48 edge in digs.

Junior outside hitter Alex Zwettler and sophomore middle blocker Melanie Boykins each had nine kills to pace the Eastern Illinois offensive effort. The Panthers offense fell victim to the APSU defense, committing 22 errors and notching just a .117 attack percentage.

Austin Peay, one of three unbeaten teams in OVC action through the season's first two weeks, returns home to begin a four-match homestand with a 7 p.m., Tuesday, OVC contest against unbeaten Morehead State.

- AP -