CINCINNATI, OHIO. — Austin Peay State University's volleyball team fell to Xavier 0-3 (11-25, 23-25, 19-25) and defeated St.Louis, 3-2 (26-28, 29-27, 24-26, 25-22, 15-11) in its final day of the Xavier Tournament, Saturday, at the Cintas Center.
Game 1: Xavier
The opening set opened with two kills from Cree Hollier and Lauren Wallace for the first Governors points on the board. Several other Govs added kills including Taly Cloyd, Malena Benz, Nicole Okojie, and Hollier for her second of the set but dropped the set 25-11.
The second set first point was marked with a Brooklyn Merrell ace, and four kills. Three straight points were counted on Xavier errors, with two successive points on a kill and a setting error. Wallace and Coy tallied a kill each. A serve error and Cloyd kill tallied the 19 and 20 points. The Govs ended the set with three straight points in two kills and an error but dropped the set 25-23.
The third set began with the Governors splitting six points, with an opening Benz kill, three errors, an Okojie kill and a fourth error. The Govs capitalized on an error before adding four points to the score, including a service error and two block assists from the pairings of Benz and Wallace and Benz and Ashley and a second error to lead 11-8. The Governors and Musketeers would tie the set at 14, 15, 16, and 17 points, with an Okojie kill, Cloyd kill, attack error, and Merrell kill. The Govs finished the set 25-19, and Xavier winning 3-0.
Box Score Bullets
- Lauren Wallace led the team with seven kills
- Brooklynn Merrell led the team with one ace and 12 assists. Merrell has led the team in assists for six straight games, with a season high of 23 assists at Tennessee Tech Sept. 4 and Green Bay Sept 5.
- Nicole Okojie, Malena Benz, and Alison Coy each saw two blocks to led the team.
Game 2: St. Louis
The Governors returned from a five-point deficit to begin the match with five straight points, with an Coy kill, two kills from Hollier and Cloyd, a Coy serve ace, and a St. Louis attack error to even the score 10-10. Later, a kill from Benz, and two errors would even the score at 22-22. A Billiken attack error would take the set to 28 points, where the Govs would fall, 28-26.
The Governors scored for six straight on four attack errors, one kill, and one Sarah Butler serve ace. Points 16-18 would come in straight points on a St. Louis attack error and two kills from Okojie and Ashley. The Govs scored two points sequentially twice more for 19 and 20 and 21 and 22 on kills from Ashley, Wallace and Hollier. Austin Peay ended the set in three sequential points on two Okojie kills and an Okojie and Ashley block to win the set 29-27.
The third set was taken to extended points with a Billiken kill to match a Wallace kill. The Governors ended the set on two kills from Wallace. Ahsley, Wallace, Cloyd, Hollier, and Okojie each tied for three kills. Ultimately the Govs dropped the set 24-26.
The fourth set opened with a kill by Ashley and a St. Louis attack error. The first two points opened with a kill and a Okojie block. The first two points opened with a kill and an Okojie block. The Govs scored four consecutive points later in the set to take a 20-17 lead. The Govs secured the set 25-22, forcing a fifth set.
The Governors opened the first set six points on four kills, an ace and a St. Louis error. Three concurring points brought the Governors' lead to three points at 12-9 before finishing the set 15-11 scoring three of the last five points to win the match 3-2.
Box Score Bullets
- Lauren Wallace led the team in kills with 13 of the Govs 70, to Saint Louis' 55.
- Nicole Okojie blocked for six.
- Sarah Butler assisted on 30 points, an overall team season high and her third time leading the team. Butler assisted for 21 against UT Martin, and 23 against Jackson State, Aug. 28.
- Reagan Anderson defended for 26 digs, her fifth straight game leading the team, and eighth game overall.
Up Next
The Governors will face Tennessee State on Wednesday, at 6 p.m. before hosting the Governors Classic Sept. 18 and 19 to end non-conference play.
