COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Austin Peay State University's volleyball team closed the Golden Eagle Invitational with a 3-2 (25-21, 30-28, 20-25, 9-25, 15-13) win at Green Bay, Saturday, at the Eblen Center.
Austin Peay gained its first advantage of the match, starting the first set with three points, coming from a block by Malena Benz and kills by Cree Hollier and Benz, giving the Govs a 4-3 lead. After allowing two points to lose the set lead, the Governors regained control of the set with four consecutive points. Austin Peay kept control by not allowing Green Bay to lead the first set again, running away with a 25-21 set win.
Very much so, like the first set, no team saw itself with a big advantage early in the second set. Green Bay found its way ahead of the Govs when an attack error from Taly Cloyd put them in front by a four-point margin of 13-9. Austin Peay scored three consecutive points later in the set to tie the set at 17 points, before Green Bay worked its way in front to a 20-17 lead. The Governors were resilient, though, as they came back to take a 23-22 lead before playing to an extended set. After losing the advantage to Green Bay for a 28-27 Phoenix lead, the Governors score four straight to win the set 30-28.
After a competitive third set, in which the Phoenix came out with a 25-20 win, the Governors dropped set four 25-9 to force a fifth set.
The Governors came out cold at the start of the fifth set, falling to a four-point deficit on three separate occasions in the set. But, after falling to 12-8 in the set, the Governors scored seven of the last eight points to win the set 15-13, winning the match three sets to two.
Inside the Box Score
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Lauren Wallace led the Governors with 12 kills
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Brooklyn Merrell led the team with 23 assists, matching her season-high
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Reagan Anderson recorded 31 digs, a season-high, and one shy of matching her career best
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Sarah Butler had a season-high three service aces
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Benz recorded five blocks, matching her season-high
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For news and updates throughout the Governors' 50th season, follow the team on X (@GovsVB) and Instagram (@GovsVolleyball) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
