CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – After dropping a 3-2 decision in its opening match of the Stacheville Beach Bash, Austin Peay State University's beach volleyball team rallied from down 2-1 to defeat North Alabama in the finale, Friday, at the Atkins Family Beach Volleyball Complex.

Austin Peay opened the second match of the two-day event with wins from the No. 4 and No. 5 courts. Anna Rita and Riley Marshall earned their eighth-straight victory of the season in a 21-19, 21-17 victory from the fourth position, and Tristin Smith and Elizabeth Wheat winning 23-21, 21-15 from the fifth court, which tied them for a team-best nine wins together on the year.

After dropping the No. 3 match, the Govs' top two pairings dropped a pair of three-set decisions, which resulted in the Bears claiming the victory. 

In their second match of the evening, APSU fell in the first match to go final, but Montana-Rae Pelak and Mikayla Powell answered to win 21-14, 21-17 from the No. 4 court to even the score at one apiece. The two Atlantic Sun Conference foes traded the next two points, with Jillian Stein and Jamie Seward falling from No. 2 and Rita and Marshall again extending their winning streak following a 24-22, 21-15 victory from the No. 3 position to keep the Govs' alive.

The Govs' top pairing of Kelsey Mead and Aurora Bibolotti were the final duo remaining after Rita and Marshall's win, and rallied after dropping their first set, 21-19, to earn a convincing, 21-13 win and force a third set. Mead and Bibolotti claimed the first set after UNA forfeited, resulting the Govs' victory.

Sandy Stats

• Austin Peay split its opening two matches of the Stacheville Beach Bash, and finished the day 7-8 overall.
• Interim head coach Ginny Busse earned her first home victory in the nightcap's 3-2 win against North Alabama. 
• Riley Marshall and Anna Rita went 2-0 on the day, winning their eighth and ninth-straight victories of the season to improve to 9-1.
• With their win against the Lions, Kelsey Mead and Aurora Bibolotti earned their team-best 10th victory of the season, improving to 10-5. 

Results vs. Central Arkansas (3-2, UCA)

1. Katie Atkinson/Brooke Kuball (UCA) def. Kelsey Mead/ Aurora Bibolotti (APSU) 21-17, 13-21, 15-12
2. Payton Sproule/Anna Collums (UCA) def. Jamie Seward/ Jillian Stein (APSU) 21-18, 16-21, 15-10
3. Naya Tan/Anna Linskey (UCA) def. Mikayla Powell / Montana-Rae Pelak,  (APSU) 21-13, 21-18
4. Anna Rita / Riley Marshall (APSU) def. Liliana Irizary/Ella Weilert (UCA) 21-19, 21-17
5. Tristin Smith / Elizabeth Wheat (APSU) def. Madelyn White/Audrey Cathcart (UCA) 23-21, 21-14
Order of Finish: 4, 5, 3, 1, 2*

Results vs. North Alabama (3-2, APSU)

1. Kelsey Mead / Aurora Bibolotti (APSU) def. Paula Klemperer/Taylor Seney (UNA) 19-21, 21-13, 15-0
2. Katy Floyd/Selma Robinson (UNA) def. Jillian Stein / Jamie Seward (APSU) 21-14, 21-13
3. Anna Rita / Riley Marshall (APSU) def. Mackenzie Martin/Ryenne Gepford (UNA) 24-22, 21-15
4. Montana-Rae Pelak / Mikayla Powell (APSU) def. Kaitlyn Holbrook/Grace Austin (UNA) 21-14, 21-17
5. Sarah Larkin Lewis/Jelena Girod (UNA) def. Elizabeth Wheat / Tristin Smith  (APSU) 21-15, 21-12
Order of Finish: 5,4, 2, 3, 1*