CLARKSVILLE – Austin Peay State University's volleyball team closes out the first half of its Ohio Valley Conference schedule when it hosts Tennessee State and Belmont, Friday and Saturday, at the Dunn Center. The Govs host Tennessee State in a 6 p.m., Friday contest that will feature a Flashback Friday theme. Austin Peay will then don pink as part of its cancer awareness match at 2 p.m., Saturday against Belmont.

The Govs are 3-3 in league play as the halfway point approaches. They are alone in seventh place, two wins behind co-leaders Morehead State and Jacksonville State, who are each 5-1. A group of four teams sits at 4-2 in OVC play.

FROM THE SERVE

• After opening OVC play with a 14-kill effort in two sets at SIUE, junior Chloe Stitt has kept up the pace through the opening six OVC matches. She leads the Govs with 3.58 kills per set (5th in league action) while posting a .220 attack percentage.
• Junior Brooke Moore has five double-digit kill performances in OVC play, including a 19-kill performance against Southeast Missouri, Oct. 4, that is her best OVC performance in 2019. Her 78 kills (3.25/set) in league action leads the Govs.
• Senior Ginny Gerig Busse enjoyed a career night against Southeast Missouri, Oct., 4, recording a career-best 43 digs (8.6/set) against the Redhawks. She enters this weekend leading all OVC defenders with 6.04 digs per set in OVC play.
• The Govs setter tandem of junior Caroline Waite and freshman Kelsey Mead have nearly evenly split the action through the six OVC matches. Each has recorded 100 assists in OVC play, Mead leading the way with 7.94 assists per set.
• The Govs victory against Texas Tech, Sept. 7, was their fourth win against a Power Five opponent during head coach Taylor Mott's tenure. It is the third consecutive year Austin Peay has downed a Power Five foe.
• Austin Peay played its first 16 contests on the road, the longest road trip in program history. The Govs covered a total of 4,656 miles before their home opener, Oct. 4, against Southeast Missouri.
• The Govs were picked to finish second in the OVC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish with a pair of Governors named to the 14-woman Preseason All-OVC Team.
• While Austin Peay is the back-to-back defending Ohio Valley Conference champion, it will have a largely new look in 2019 as it lost its top outside hitter, primary setter and top middle blocker to graduation.

SCANNING THE HOMESTAND

Tennessee State 9-10 (2-4 OVC) Nashville, TN Roster Schedule Stats	UT Martin 5-11 (1-1 OVC) Martin, TN Roster Schedule Stats
Tennessee State began the month – and a four-match homestand – with a win against Belmont but fell to SIUE, Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech to end the homestand. Outside hitter Julia Pierson has led the Tigers offense in 2019 with 168 kills (2.71/set) while middle blocker Aniya Williams ranks third among OVC hitters with a .312 attack percentage while averaging 2.09 kills per set.	Belmont (2-19, 1-5) picked up a conference win against Eastern Illinois, Oct. 5, to begin a three-game homestand but dropped contests to Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State. Outside hitter Halee Van Poppel ranks seventh among OVC hitters with 3.21 kills per set, breaking out as a junior after seeing limited time as a freshman and sophomore.