NASHVILLE - Austin Peay State University women's basketball team got off to a cold start and could not recover, dropping a 65-56 decision to Tennessee Tech in the Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Championship's semifinal round, Friday afternoon, at Municipal Auditorium.

Top-seeded Tennessee Tech (23-6) led 19-10 at the 9:38 mark courtesy Rachel Glidden who made her first five three-point field goals. The Golden Eagles were 6-of-12 from the field in the opening 10-plus minutes.

Fifth-seeded Austin Peay (15-18) - playing its third game in as many days - did not get off as quickly, making just one of its first 13 field goal attempts and was only 4-of-18 from the field in the opening 10-plus minutes. Freshman Nicole Olszewski scored two of the Lady Govs first four field goals.

However, the Golden Eagles were unable to expand their lead past that nine-point advantage the remainder of the half. The Lady Govs trimmed the lead to three points several times in the final 10 minutes, but trailed by five points, 30-25, at halftime.

Austin Peay opened the second half with an 11-5 run and took its only lead, 36-35, at the 14:12 mark. The Lady Govs made 4-of-9 from the field during the half-opening run, junior Whitney Hanley scoring seven points on three field goals.

However, Tennessee Tech regained the lead on their next possession and scored the game's next seven points to build a 42-36 advantage with 11:33 remaining. A later burst of eight straight points pushed the lead into double digits for the first time, 56-45, with 3:52 left. The Lady Govs tried valiantly to cut into the lead, but could get no closer than five points the game's remainder.

Olszewski led the Lady Govs with 14 points, including seven of the Lady Govs final 10 points in the final 2:18. Hanley finished with 12 points before fouling out at the 2:18 mark. Junior Jasmine Rayner added nine points and seven rebounds while going 5-of-6 at the free-throw line. Austin Peay was just 8-of-18 at the free-throw line.

Glidden and Tacarra Hayes each had 20 points to lead Tennessee Tech. Hayes was 12-of-13 at the free-throw line, leading a TTU free-throw effort that finished 22-of-27 at the stripe.

-AP-