CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Austin Peay State University's volleyball team opened the Golden Eagle Invitational with a 3-2 (25-15, 25-23, 18-25, 25-22, 16-14) loss at Tennessee Tech, Friday, at the Eblen Center
Game 1: Tennessee Tech
The Governors began with a 4-0 lead to open the first set, highlighted by a kill, a Tennessee Tech attacking error and two service aces from Brooklynn Merrell. After the two teams traded four-point stretches, Austin Peay maintained an 8-4 advantage. The Governors extended their lead with a four-point run featuring a kill by Nicole Okojie, a service ace from Callie Gardner and two Golden Eagle errors to make it 13-5. Austin Peay later used a pair of three-point scoring runs to build an eight-point advantage at 19-11. Following two Tennessee Tech points, the Governors capitalized on consecutive Golden Eagle errors before kills by Malena Benz and Okojie sealed a 25-15 first-set victory.
Austin Peay carried its momentum into the second set, opening with a 7-1 advantage behind four kills, a service ace and two Tennessee Tech attack errors. The Golden Eagles responded with three consecutive points, but the Governors answered with a pair of points to maintain control. Tennessee Tech later used another three-point run to narrow the deficit before the teams' traded points, bringing the score to 15-13 in favor of Austin Peay. Both teams followed with three-point scoring runs as the Governors held an 18-16 lead. Austin Peay maintained its advantage down the stretch, and a decisive kill by Taly Cloyd secured the 25-23 second-set win.
The third set belonged to Tennessee Tech, which opened with a 5-1 lead and later extended its advantage to 16-11 following a three-point run. The teams traded points for the remainder of the set, with Lauren Wallace recording two kills and Benz adding another. However, the Golden Eagles maintained their momentum and claimed the set, 25-18.
The fourth set proved to be closely contested early, with a kill by Kaelynn Ashley giving the Governors a 5-4 advantage. Neither team established significant separation until Tennessee Tech used a four-point run to take a 17-14 lead. Austin Peay responded with three consecutive points, including back-to-back kills from Ashley, but the Golden Eagles answered down the stretch and secured a 25-22 victory to force a decisive fifth set.
The Governors opened the final set with their first four points coming on kills before capitalizing on six Tennessee Tech errors. A kill by Benz tied the set at 12-all, and the teams continued to trade points into extra points. Tennessee Tech ultimately secured the match with an Austin Peay attacking error and a kill, earning the 16-14 fifth-set victory.
Game 2: Tennessee State
The first set opened with a pair of attack errors from the Governors, but they answered back with a kill from Cloyd and a service ace by Hollier to tie it at two points. Each team exchanged points for the next six points, running the set to 5-5. The Govs expanded their lead by scoring 11 points, with Tennessee State squeezing in a kill after the third straight Governor point. The tigers scored three points on a kill and two errors; The Govs capitalized on four errors to maintain their lead 19-11. A kill and two attack errors led to a 22-14 Austin Peay lead, before closing the first set in three straight points with a kill and two attack errors, ending the set 25-16.
The Tigers put up three points to begin the second set, before the Governors tied the score off a service error, a kill by Malena Benz, and another Tiger attacking error. The Govs created a lead with five consecutive points from kills - one from Brooklynn Merrell, two from Benz, and one from Hollier. The Govs scored four points from three errors and kills from Ashley, Wallace, and Hollier to extend the Govs' lead to 14-7. Each team exchanged points, but Austin Peay maintained its lead at 18-14 before clinching the second set with six continuous points from two attack errors, three kills, and back-to-back serve aces from Callie Gardner for the 22nd and 23rd points.
The third and final set saw a dominant effort from the Govs with a pair of five-point runs for a 14-5 lead. The Governors went on to sweep the Tigers 25-18 in the final set win.
The Governors scored a total of 55 points to Tennessee State's 34, with 37 kills, 10 aces, and 63% of points coming with assists.
The Governors continue to play in the Golden Eagle Invitational against Green Bay, at 10:30 a.m., Saturday.
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