Beach Volleyball | April 28, 2022

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Austin Peay State University's beach volleyball team dropped a quarterfinal match to No. 4 Chattanooga, 3-2, to open the Ohio Valley Conference Beach Volleyball Championship before rallying to sweep No. 5 Eastern Illinois, 5-0, in an elimination match, Thursday, at the Fazoli's Breadstick Beach.

Austin Peay (19-11) fell behind in the first match of the day, with Chattanooga (17-12) taking a 1-0 advantage when Joy Courtright and Julia Davis knocked off Elizabeth Wheat and Karli Graham in two sets in the No. 5 match. But the Governors were able to tie the match in the No. 4 pairing with Caroline Waite and Janvier Buggs picking up a two-set win.

In the second wave of matches, the Mocs retook the lead in the No. 3 pairing when Hanley Lomax and Bailey Steger beat Demi McInnis and Tegan Seyring in two sets. Trailing 2-1, Brooke Moore and Mikayla Powell picked up a two-set win, beating Paige Gallentine and Neva Clark 22-20 in the second met to claim the point and tie the score.

In the final match on the sand, Kelsey Mead and Marlayna Bullington won the first set before dropping the next two sets to Baylee Young and Gylian Finch to lose in three sets in the No. 1 pairing. 

After falling to Chattanooga in the quarterfinals, the Govs took the court again in a 6 p.m., elimination match against Eastern Illinois (0-15).

The Governors claimed the first point of the match when Graham and Wheat won in two sets in the No. 5 pairing. Then it was Waite and Buggs winning in two sets on the No. 4 line while holding the Panthers to 13 points in the first set and just 12 in the second to take a 2-0 lead.

The match-clinching point came in the No. 3 pairing, with McInnis and Seyring winning in two sets and posting a dominant 21-6 win in the second set to secure the Governors spot in the next round. In the final two matches on the sand, Moore and Powell won handily in the No. 2 pairing before Bullington and Mead picked up a two-set win in the No. 1 pairing to secure the sweep.

Austin Peay will be back in action when it plays an 11 a.m. (CT), elimination match against No. 4 Morehead State, Friday, at the Fazoli's Breadstick Beach. The winner of the match between the Governors and Eagles will play again at 4 p.m. against the loser of the semifinal match between No. 1 UT Martin and Chattanooga.

Morehead State dropped its quarterfinal match to UT Martin, 3-2, to open the tournament. In the last meeting between the Govs and Eagles, Morehead State picked up a 3-2 win at the OVC Weekend at Austin Peay.

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OVC Beach Volleyball Championship Day One Results

Chattanooga def. Austin Peay, 3-2
1. Baylee Young/Gylian Finch (UTC) def. Marlayna Bullington/Kelsey Mead 18-21, 21-13, 15-11
2. Brooke Moore/Mikayla Powell def. Paige Gallentine/Neva Clark (UTC) 21-18, 22-20
3. Hanley Lomax/Bailey Steger (UTC) def. Demi McInnis/Tegan Seyring 21-13, 21-17
4. Caroline Waite/Janvier Buggs def. Victoria Cerino/Madison Morris (UTC) 21-15, 21-16
5. Joy Courtright/Julia Davis (UTC) def. Elizabeth Wheat/Karli Graham 21-19, 21-14

Austin Peay def. Eastern Illinois, 5-0
1. Marlayna Bullington/Kelsey Mead def. Takenya Stafford/Ashley Sharkus (EIU) 21-17, 21-9
2. Brooke Moore/Mikayla Powell def. Christina Mundo/Elisavet Papageorgio (EIU) 21-11, 21-12
3. Demi McInnis/Tegan Seyring def. Ella Collins/Ireland Hieb (EIU) 21-15, 21-6
4. Caroline Waite/Janvier Buggs def. Anna Moster/Emily Wilcox (EIU) 21-13, 21-12
5. Elizabeth Wheat/Karli Graham def. Kaitlyn Flynn/Catalina Rochaix (EIU) 21-19, 21-11