ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Jaida Clark tied her season high with 11 kills, but Austin Peay State University's volleyball team fell to ASUN Conference preseason favorite Florida Gulf Coast in three sets (25-16, 27-25, 25-21), Saturday, at the McArthur Center on the Eckerd College campus.

Austin Peay (9-8, 2-4 ASUN) had its best chance to extend the match in the second set, reaching set point at 24-21 after a block by Maggie Keenan and Elizabeth Wheat. FGCU scored the following four points, two on Erin Shomaker providing two kills, to get its own set point at 25-24. The Govs Tegan Seyring would deny that first set point opportunity, but the Eagles got another kill from Shomaker and an APSU error to win the set and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

FGCU (13-4, 3-1 ASUN) saw Austin Peay race out to a 5-0 lead in the third set, with Clark providing three kills to start the set. The Eagles battled back with a 5-0 run of its own to tie the set 6-6. Austin Peay would lead as late as 17-16 before FGCU won nine of the final 13 points to close the match.

Clark's 11 kills was her best career performance in a three-set match. She also was errorless on her 21 attacks, finishing with a .524 attack percentage. Maggie Keenan, the other half of the Govs' middle-blocker duo – had seven kills, no errors, and a .538 attack percentage.

Shomaker led all hitters with 18 kills while posting a .308 attack percentage for FGCU. Lily Felts chipped in 13 kills as the Eagles posted a 47-34 advantage in kills against the Govs.

Austin Peay returns to Middle Tennessee for a home-and-home series against Lipscomb. The week's first match sees the Govs travel to Nashville for a 6 p.m., Friday match at Allen Arena. The teams follow that match with a 6 p.m., Saturday match at the Dunn Center in Clarksville.