CHARLESTON, S.C. – Sophomore Cecily Gable finished with a career-high 16 kills to lead Austin Peay State University's volleyball team to a three-set victory (25-17, 25-23, 25-23) against Charleston Southern, Friday at the Bulldog Invitational at McAlister Field House.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Gable Ends. Gable's career-high effort also included kills that got APSU to set point in both the second and third frames. She then brought the match to a close with her 16th kill, a fitting end to a match she dominated.
Gable's Record. The 16 kills are tied for second most by a Govs hitter this season. It also broke her career mark of 15 kills set last season at Alabama A&M. The effort also easily topped her 2016 season best of 11 kills set in a four-set affair against USC Upstate in Week 1.
Teeter Turns Tide. Charleston Southern threatened to force a fourth set, leading the third by a 17-16 margin. Kailtyn Teeter changed the momentum with four kills in a 5-0 APSU run that gave the Govs a 21-17 lead. Her 12-kill outing was her third-straight double-digit kill performance (42 kills, 3.81 per set in streak).
Double Sweeps. The Govs swept both matches in its Friday schedule, opening the day with a victory against host The Citadel. It is Austin Peay's first back-to-back sweep wins since Sept. 4-5, 2015 (Savannah State and Florida International).
THE FULL RECAP
Gable's career-best outing saw her post six kills in both the closely-fought second and third sets. She not only paced the Governors offense in the match, but she had three kills that help bring the second and third sets to a close.
In the second set, Gable's 10th kill got Austin Peay to set point at 24-21. The Govs would eventually win the frame, 25-23, after a Charleston Southern service error. Gable again got APSU to match point in the third with her career-high tying 15th kill for a 24-22 lead. CSU fended off the first match point chance, but Gable ended the contest with her 16th kill, breaking her mark set last season against Alabama A&M.
Austin Peay (7-6) dominated the first set against a Charleston Southern squad seeing its first action of the weekend. The Govs used a 6-1 run to break the set open and a balanced attack did the rest. Gable led the effort with four kills, but all six starters posted a kill in the frame.
Junior Kaitlyn Teeter also had a big hand in the victory, finishing with a 12-kill, 11-dig double-double effort. She had four kills in a 5-0 APSU run to turn a 16-17 deficit into a 21-17 lead in the third set.
Austin Peay finished the match with 49 kills and a .256 attack percentage. The Govs limited Charleston Southern's attack thanks to a 60-dig performance which was led by Teeter and junior Allie O'Reilly, who each had 11 digs.
Charleston Southern (4-9) was held to 30 kills and a .159 attack percentage by the Govs defense. Addison Kaderli led the offense with 10 kills. The Buccaneers out-blocked the Govs, 9-6, thanks to Kylie Klein's six-block performance.
The Govs get the rest of Friday off but return to action with another early-riser special when they face Elon in an 8 a.m. (CT), Saturday contest.
