THE LEAD
CLARKSVILLE – A fourth-set lapse proved costly as Austin Peay State University's volleyball team dropped a five-set (22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 17-25, 9-15) Ohio Valley Conference decision to Tennessee State, Friday night at the Dunn Center.

WHO GOVERNED
Sophomore Kelly Ferguson finished with a team-best 17.5 points – nine kills, three service aces and seven blocks (four solo). Her kill in the third set helped Austin Peay gain a 23-22 lead en route to the win and a 2-1 lead in the match.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After dropping the opening set, Austin Peay rallied to gain a 2-1 lead in the match after surviving a see-saw affair in the third frame.

Tennessee State took control of the fourth set – and ultimately the match – with a 9-0 run that included six service aces and ended with the Tigers leading 17-7 en route to a 25-17 victory to tie the match.

The Tigers fended off an Austin Peay run in the fourth set that narrowed the deficit to one point, and closed 7-1 run to win the match.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sophomore Ashley Slay and senior Samantha Strother each had a team-best 14 kills.  

Special teams were huge for both teams in the contest as they combined for 30 blocks and 22 service aces. Tennessee State claimed the lead in both categories – 18-12 in blocks and 12-10 in service aces.

THE FULL RECAP
Austin Peay (6-16, 1-6 OVC) dropped the opening set but battled back to build a 2-1 lead. The Lady Govs recovered from the first-set loss with a wire-to-wire win in the second set and level the contest. Austin Peay took the lead in the match as it held off Tennessee State late, winning the final three points to claim a 25-22 set victory.

The fourth set started out as a back-and-forth affair with Austin Peay leading 7-6 after a Samantha Strother kill. Tennessee State (10-9, 5-2 OVC) turned the match's momentum with an 11-0 run that included six service aces by TSU's Haley Hampton and two other Austin Peay errors, ending with TSU leading 17-7 en route to a 25-17 victory

The Tigers threatened to run away with the fifth set, jumping outing to a 5-1 lead. Austin Peay would trail 8-4 at the crossover before scoring four straight points to narrow the deficit to one point, 9-8, after a Sammie Ebright service ace. Austin Peay would get no closer as Tennessee State closed the match with a 7-1 run.

Strother and Ashley Slay each had 14 kills to lead the Austin Peay offense. Kelly Ferguson added a nine-kill, three-service ace, seven-block performance.

Ayanna Chase led Tennessee State with a 10-kill, 10-block (three solo) double-double performance. Chloe Watson and Haley Hampton each added 14 blocks.

Austin Peay wraps up its four-match homestand with a 1 p.m., Saturday contest against Belmont.