THE LEAD
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Redshirt junior outside hitter Samantha Strother posted a career-high tying 16 kills but Austin Peay State University's volleyball team dropped a four-set decision (22-25, 23-25, 27-25, 13-25), in its final match of the Mortar Board Premier at Holloway Gymnasium.

WHO GOVERNED
Redshirt junior Samantha Strother tied her career high with 16 kills, equaling her mark set against Chattanooga last season. She posted seven kills in the second set alone and finished the match with a .263 attack percentage.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first two sets were nearly carbon copies. VCU raced out to big leads in the early going only to watch Austin Peay rally to tie both sets at 22-22. However, VCU was able to forge set-winning runs at the end of both sets.
• Austin Peay again fell behind in the third set but was able to slowly work its way back into the set. The Lady Govs eventually had set point at 24-22, but VCU fended on three different set point chances before APSU won the set 27-25.
• VCU finished what it started in the fourth set, opening a big lead early and stymieing the Austin Peay offense throughout the frame to win 25-13 and clinch the match.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Freshman outside hitter Cecily Gable broke through with her first double-digit kill outing, posting 11 kills and two service aces against VCU.
• Freshman setter Kristen Stucker took over for the final three sets and finished with three kills, 28 assists and a block assist.
• Austin Peay was held winless at the Mortar Board Premier and starts 0-3 for the third consecutive season. The Lady Govs won their next contest in both the previous two seasons.

OFF THE COURT

• The Mortar Board Premier is sponsored by the Mortar Board student honorary society. As part of its sponsorship, it presents awards to the Top Scholar, Most Improved Scholar and Community Service Award winner from each school.
• Austin Peay's recipients were April Adams (highest GPA), Ashley Slay (most improved GPA) and Samantha Strother (community service).

THE QUOTABLE TAYLOR MOTT
"I was disappointed we couldn't finish at the end of the first two sets. We had opportunities but did not capitalize. VCU was a very athletic squad but we were right there with them for three sets."

THE FULL RECAP
Austin Peay (0-3) will be left to wonder what could have been after it fought back from deficits in both the first and second sets to tie each set at 22-22 only to watch VCU hold off the charge each time to win the set.

In the opening set, VCU (1-2) scored the first three points and ultimately built a five-point lead, 15-10. The Lady Govs closed that gap with a four-point burst that included kills by Strother and senior setter Aubrey Marsellis as well as a solo block by sophomore Ashley Slay.

Austin Peay would eventually tie the set at 17-17 and again at 21-21. Freshman Cecily Gable would give APSU its first lead with a kill for a 22-21 advantage. But Austin Peay couldn't produce the run it needed, instead VCU took advantage of three straight APSU miscues before finishing the set with a service ace for the 25-22 victory.

VCU threatened a blowout in the second set, racing out to a 9-3 lead and eventually built a 10-point, 20-10 lead. Austin Peay roared back posting five straight kills to get back within four points, 20-16. After a one-point interlude, the Lady Govs were at it again, using another five-point run to tie the set 21-21. The teams would trade points to get to 22-22 before VCU scored three of the final four points – including the final point on an APSU service error – to win 25-23.

VCU dominated the early going in the third set, quickly building a 10-3 lead. Austin Peay would piece together several brief runs, none longer than three points, to get back within a point at 19-18. The Lady Govs would finally take control with a 6-0 run that culminated with a block by the freshman duo of setter Kristen Stucker and outside hitter Cecily Jones to grab a 24-22 lead.

But Austin Peay couldn't find the finishing blow and VCU rallied with the next two points to tie the set at 24-24. After another APSU set point at 25-24 was denied, Austin Peay got back-to-back kills from freshman outside hitter Ashley Carger and senior outside hitter Sammie Ebright to win the set 27-25.

Austin Peay could not carry the momentum of its third set win into the fourth set, VCU winning the frame in wire-to-wire fashion. Again, the Rams built an early 8-3 lead but this time held the Lady Govs at bay en route to the 25-13 match-clinching victory. Austin Peay would not be able to piece together more than two straight points during the entire set.  

Strother's 16-kill performance paced Austin Peay's 51-kill outing. Gable broke through for her first double-digit performance as a Lady Govs, scoring 11 kills.

Kalah Jones, Sahbria McLetchie and Jessica Young each had 13 kills to lead VCU. The Rams offense finished with 56 kills but its seven service aces and eight blocks helped it hold off Austin Peay.

Austin Peay returns to Clarksville and will open its home schedule with a 7 p.m., Tuesday contest against Evansville at the Dunn Center.