CLARKSVILLE – A three-match road trip through the midstate awaits Austin Peay State University's volleyball team as it begins the final third of its regular-season slate. The Governors first travel to Middle Tennesse for a 7 p.m., Wednesday nonconference contest. Austin Peay then will make back-to-back trips to Nashville for its Ohio Valley Conference weekend contests at Belmont (6 p.m., Friday) and Tennessee State (2 p.m., Saturday).

Austin Peay enters the final four weeks of the regular season tied atop the OVC standings with rival Murray State. The two teams hold a one-match lead over third-place SIUE and a two-match lead over fourth-place squads Belmont and Jacksonville State.

The Governors will play five of their next six matches on the road, starting with this week's three-match road trip. Their lone home match during the next two weeks is a Tuesday, Oct. 25 nonconference contest against Alabama A&M.

MEET THE TEAMS

Austin Peay 16-7 (7-1 OVC [t-1st]) Clarksville, TN Roster Schedule Stats	Middle Tennessee 5-17 (2-6 C-USA) Murfreesboro, TN Roster Schedule Stats	Belmont 11-7 (5-3 OVC [t-4th]) Nashville, TN Roster Schedule Stats	Tennessee State 12-12 (3-5 OVC [t-7th]) Nashville, TN Roster Schedule Stats

A ROTATION OF KNOWLEDGE

• STAYING ATOP THE HEAP. The Governors hit the halfway point of the OVC race tied for 1st place with Murray State with a 7-1 conference mark. APSU faces a tough task to stay atop the league with its next 4 OVC outings on the road.
• TOUGH BARNS AWAIT GOVS. After a Wednesday contest at Middle Tennessee, Austin Peay will venture into two of the toughest places to play in the OVC. Belmont has posted a 5-1 record at Curb Event Center while Tennessee State is 4-1 at Kean Hall this season.
• STUCKER SETS THE STAGE. Sophomore Kristen Stucker picked up her second adidas® OVC Setter of the Week honor, Monday, after averaging 13 assists per set last week. She enters the week as the OVC's assists leader (81st nationally), with 10.09 assists per set. Stucker's 817 total assists are 2nd most in the OVC.
• EBRIGHT HELPING WHERE ITS NEEDED. Senior Sammie Ebright provided more than a helping hand on defense last weekend. She led the team in digs against both Jacksonville State (12) and Tennessee Tech (18). Not bad for an outside hitter.
• AMONG THE NATION'S MOST IMPROVED. Entering this weekend's action, Austin Peay is the 4th most-improved club in Division I, its 16-7 record a 10-game improvement over last season's 6-17 mark at the same time.
• GOVS STILL STREAKING. Austin Peay jumped right back into its winning ways after its loss to Murray State, Sept. 27. The Govs have won their last 5 matches (30th longest win streak in Division I) and 11 of their last 12 contests (33 of 40 sets).