Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team will bring one of its most successful Ohio Valley Conference campaigns will come to a close when it hosts a pair of league contests this weekend. The Lady Govs will host Tennessee Martin in a 7 p.m., Friday contest before closing out the regular season with a 2 p.m., Saturday contest against Murray State at the Dunn Center.
This weekend also will bring to a close the careers of three Lady Govs players – Stephanie Champine, Kirstin Distler and Marisa Jordan. That trio will be recognized before the start of Saturday’s contest against Murray State.
Austin Peay (20-8, 13-3 OVC) is assured of a second-place finish in this season’s OVC race after winning at Tennessee Tech, last Saturday. It is the program’s best league finish since winning the regular-season crown in 1992 with a 15-1 OVC record. The Lady Govs also secured their second consecutive 20-win season – its ninth 20-win campaign all-time.
The Lady Govs return to the Dunn Center after concluding a five-match road trip with a 3-2 record – the lone losses coming to Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season champion Lipscomb and OVC regular-season champion Jacksonville State. Champine led the Lady Govs with 83 kills during the road trip, averaging 4.15 kills per set. She enters the weekend ranked 22nd nationally in kills per set (4.34).
Tennessee Martin (8-19, 2-14) recently ended a nine-match losing streak with a five-set victory against future OVC opponent SIU Edwardsville, last Friday. Junior Lauren Montague leads the Skyhawks offense with a 3.03 kill per set average, recording 282 kills this season.
Murray State (9-16, 9-6) enters the final regular-season weekend with a five-match win streak after posting a four-set victory against Southeast Missouri, Tuesday. The Racers are one of two teams (Jacksonville State the other) to defeat the Lady Govs during the OVC slate, winning a four-set contest, Oct. 16, in Murray. Sophomore Logan Su received the league’s “Offensive Player of the Week” award, Monday, after recording 22 kills and a .488 attack percentage in two matches.
“I look at this weekend as our last opportunity to improve prior to the OVC Tournament,” said Lady Govs head coach Mike Johnson. “Equally as important, we are celebrating the athletic careers of three exceptional people prior to the Murray State match. We’re hoping all the football fans show up just a few hours early to see how special these athletes are.”
