THE LEAD
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Freshman outside hitter Cecily Gable led Austin Peay State University's volleyball team with 10 kills in a three-set (13-25, 14-25, 17-25) loss to Western Kentucky, Tuesday night at E.A. Diddle Arena.

WHO GOVERNED
Cecily Gable posted her third double-digit kill outing of the season with a team-best 10-kill outing. She finished with a .231 attack percentage and a service ace.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Austin Peay challenged early in both the first and second sets only to see Western Kentucky pull away with 7-0 runs en route to winning each set. The Hilltoppers opened the third set with a 5-0 run and rolled to a wire-to-wire victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Austin Peay was held to just 24 kills and a .033 attack percentage, a total surpassed by Western Kentucky's top three hitters who combined for 33 of its 45 kills.

Sophomore Ashley Slay finished with five kills, a service ace and three blocks, and was responsible for eight of Austin Peay's points.

THE QUOTABLE TAYLOR MOTT
"We just couldn't stop Western Kentucky's offense. Cecily had a good outing but we couldn't get our offense going."

THE FULL RECAP
Austin Peay (2-6) challenged Western Kentucky early in each of the first two sets. The first set featured five ties and seven lead changes, with Austin Peay leading at 6-5 after sophomore Ashley Slay's kill. However, Western Kentucky scored the next seven points to swing the momentum in its direction.

Western Kentucky (6-1), which was receiving votes in the Monday's AVCA Coaches Poll, used a 7-0 run to break open the second set. The set featured seven ties and five lead changes, Austin Peay holding an 8-7 advantage after freshman Kaylee Taft recorded a kill. But the Hilltoppers seven-point burst turned the set around and WKU rolled to a 25-14 win.

The Hilltoppers dominated the third set, leading wire-to-wire. Western Kentucky scored the set's first five points and didn't look back to secure the match.

Freshman outside hitter Cecily Gable led Austin Peay for the first time this season with a 10-kill performance off the bench. She paced a Lady Govs offense that was held to 24 kills. 

Haley Bodwell led Western Kentucky with 12 kills. Rachel Anderson (11 kills) and Noelle Langenkamp (10) also reached double-digit kill territory.

Austin Peay continues its seven-match road trip with a 2 p.m. (CDT), Friday contest against Gardner-Webb in the first match of Chattanooga's Scenic City Showdown.