MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University's volleyball team dropped its final two matches of the Blue Raider Bash, Saturday, at the Alumni Memorial Gymnasium in Murfreesboro.
Austin Peay (1-5) fell to Arkansas State (4-1), 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 26-24, 25-13). The Red Wolves got up by nine at 9-18, but the Governors cut their deficit to as few as five at 20-15 by a Lucci Lippelgoos kill. Arkansas State responded with a 5-1 run, taking the first set, 25-16.
The two teams went back-and-forth to begin the second set, seeing nine tied scores. A kill by Payton Deidesheimer gave the Govs their first lead of the match at 13-12. The last tie of the set at 15, but a 10-5 Red Wolf run allowed them to take the second set, 25-20.
The Governors opened up the third set with a 7-0 run to go up 14-8 on their opponent. A kill by Aubrey Stitcher, followed by a block and kill by Deidesheimer, allowed the Govs to take a six-point lead at 19-13. Arkansas State fought back, tying the set at 23. A kill by Anna Rita, a Tayler Baron service ace, and a Red Wolf attack error allowed the Govs to take the set 26-24. The Red Wolves went on a 7-0 run in the fourth set to take a 20-9 lead. The Governors attempted to come back but could not overcome the Red Wolves lead.
The Governors dropped a 3-0 match (25-23, 25-19, 25-15) to tournament host Middle Tennessee. The Govs took the lead early in the first set, going up by as many as five at 11-6 with kills by Rita and Sarah Carnathan, forcing an MTSU timeout. The Blue Raiders went on a 10-5 run to tie the set at 16, with two consecutive kills to give them the 18-16 lead. MTSU used that momentum to end the set, 25-23. The Govs and the Blue Raiders traded points to begin the second set, but the Blue Raiders were able to go up 17-11. The Govs responded with a 5-0 run, including a kill by Dani Kopacz and consecutive Maggie Duyos service aces to cut their deficit to one at 17-16. MTSU ended the match on an 8-3 run to take the 25-19 set win.
Up next, the Governors head to St. Charles, Missouri, to play in the Lindenwood Invitational, where they will face Southern Illinois and host Lindenwood.
