CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay's volleyball team embarks on its final four-match road trip of the 2023 season when it swings through Kentucky for matches Friday-Saturday.

The Govs face two teams tied for third place in the Atlantic Sun Conference this weekend. First, they meet longtime foe Eastern Kentucky in a 5 p.m. (CT), Friday match. They then head east for a 3 p.m. (CT), Saturday match at Bellarmine.

As the ASUN race enters its final stretch, Austin Peay sits two wins behind eighth place with six matches remaining. The Govs face an uphill climb over the final three weekends, facing four teams with winning ASUN records over the final six matches.

While graduate outside hitter Mikayla Powell continues to lead the Govs with 3.66 kills per set in league play, a pair of sophomores and a freshman have made the most of their league action. Sophomore Jamie Seward has 41 kills, is hitting .315, and has 15 blocks in 22 sets played. Sophomore Sarah Carnathan has provided 45 kills in 24 sets. Freshman Anna Rita has been a pleasant surprise in the middle, entering the weekend second on the team with 32 blocks in ASUN action with 32 kills in 30 sets.

THROUGH THE ROTATION

• Outside hitter Mikayla Powell recorded double-digit kills in 16 consecutive matches and had four 20-kill outings, Sept. 1-Oct. 7, but suffered an injury following the Govs match against Eastern Kentucky. She is day-to-day, missing five of the 13 sets played since that match.
• Powell was the first ASUN hitter to record 200 kills this season but surrendered the ASUN lead in kills last week. Her 303 total kills still is second the ASUN and ranks 45th among Division I hitters. Powell's also is second with her 3.79 kills per set, which places her 59th among Division I hitters.
• Kelsey Mead has shouldered most of the load at setter this season and enters this weekend with 661 assists, fifth most in the ASUN. In ASUN play, teams have keyed their attack at her and she's held her own, leading the Govs with 87 digs (2.56 per set) in league action.
• Freshman setter Maggie Duyos shared setting responsibilities with mead during the season's opening week but an injury forced her out of the lineup. She returned to her original role at Stetson, Oct. 14, and has 33 assists in 10 sets since her return.
• Middle blocker Maggie Keenan's 63 blocks are the ninth-most in the ASUN. She needs 25 blocks to become only the sixth Govs student-athlete to record 300 career blocks.
• Middle blocker Karli Graham has been impressive in ASUN play with 49 kills (1.54 per set) and a .362 attack percentage that is third in the league. She also ranks fourth in the league with 1.00 blocks per set.
• Middle blocker Anna Rita set her season bests in blocks (8) and kills (6) against Jacksonville. That outing jump-started her solid run of play during ASUN action and she enters this weekend third among blockers with 1.07 blocks per set.
• Sophomore right-side hitter Jamie Seward notched her second nine-kill outing of ASUN play at Stetson on Oct. 14, tying her career-high set against Bellarmine eight days prior. She followed that performance with seven kills against both Queens and Kennesaw State and has 23 kills in her last 10 sets.
• In her first start since Sept. 8, Sophomore outside hitter Payton Deidesheimer set her career high with 17 kills at Stetson on Oct. 14. It was her second double-digit kill outing in 2023, joining a 14-kill performance against Florida A&M during the opening weekend.
• Senior defensive specialist Morgan Rutledge has worn the libero jersey for each of the past four matches, posting double-digit digs in each match. She has 52 digs (4.00 per set) in those four matches and has just one reception error in 41 reception attempts.

INSIDE THE SERIES

EASTERN KENTUCKY
SERIES RECORD: Eastern Kentucky leads, 43-30.
CURRENT STREAK: EKU, two wins.
EARLIER IN '23: Mikayla Powell finished with 11 kills but Austin Peay could not solve Eastern Kentucky and fell in three sets (16-25, 20-25, 18-25) on Oct. 7 at the Winfield Dunn Center..
NOTABLY: Eastern Kentucky has swept Austin Peay in their last two meetings, including this season's first meeting between the teams. The Colonels also won the last meeting against the Govs at Baptist Health Arena, during last season's opening weekend.

BELLARMINE
SERIES RECORD: Series tied, 3-3.
CURRENT STREAK: Bellarmine, one win.
EARLIER IN '23: Mikayla Powell led all hitters with 14 kills, but Austin Peay could not overcome a balanced Bellarmine attack and dropped a three-set (24-26, 20-25, 23-25) on Oct. 6 at the Winfield Dunn Center.
NOTABLY: Austin Peay has won the last two meetings at Bellarmine, including the ASUN debut for both teams last season – a five-set APSU victory. The Knights' win earlier this season snapped the Govs three match win streak in the series.