CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Outside hitter Chloe Stitt finished with 10 kills but Austin Peay State University's volleyball team dropped a three-set (25-18, 25-20, 26-24) Ohio Valley Conference decision to Southeast Missouri, Sunday night at Houck Field House.

Austin Peay (8-3 OVC) nearly extended the match getting to set point, 24-23, in the third thanks to Stitt's 10th kill. But Southeast Missouri scored the final three points of the match on a Laney Malloy kill and a service ace followed by a walk-off block by Zoey Beasley and Maggie Adams. It closed a set that saw six ties and two lead changes.

After a back-and-forth start to the match that saw the opening set tied 14-14, Southeast Missouri (9-2 OVC) gained control of the opening frame courtesy a 4-1 burst that it extended to an 11-4 set-ending run. The Redhawks opened the second frame with a 6-1 rally to take early control of a set they won wire-to-wire.

Stitt's 10-kill effort was the Govs only double-digit kill outing as the offense posted 40 kills – eight different hitters recorded at least one kill. Middle blocker Maggie Keena had three kills and a team-leading four blocks.

Southeast Missouri finished with 42 kills and a .269 attack percentage. Malloy had 16 kills to pace the effort while Beasley added 10 kills.

Austin Peay will look to split the series against Southeast Missouri with a 3 p.m. match at Houck Field House.