APSU Women’s Volleyball
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team will look to remain in contact with the league’s top teams when it faces Eastern Kentucky in a 5:00pm (CT), Tuesday contest at McBrayer Arena in Richmond, KY.
Austin Peay (14-3, 5-1 OVC) won both matches in its recent two-match OVC homestand, sweeping both Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois. Tuesday’s contest will be the Lady Govs sixth true road game this season and they have enjoyed some success in hostile arenas, posting a 3-2 record on the road this season.
Senior middle blocker Jessica Mollman also has enjoyed a banner year, recording 151 kills (2.56 kills per set) while posting a .298 attack percentage. The success of the Lady Govs two senior middle blockers is not something head coach Haley Janicek is overlooking in regards to the Lady Govs offensive success.
“What’s happening with our middles is something this program hasn’t seen in a while,” said Janicek. “The middle blockers have much more of a presence than in the past. Their dominance is opening things up for our outside hitters – Nikki (Doyle) is performing better because Taylor and Jessica are playing so well and the same is true for all of our outside hitters. Because of our middle blocker’s success we are a harder team to defend because we are able to find success anywhere on the front row.”
The Lady Govs remain ranked among the league’s top two in six of seven statistical categories, including league leads in attack percentage (.246), kills (13.85 per set), assists (13.14 per set) and service aces (1.97 per set). Behind that effort they remain tied for second in the regular-season OVC race with Jacksonville State, and one game behind Morehead State after three conference weekends. That trio has gained breathing room from the league’s remaining seven teams, with no team in the trailing group posting better than a .500 mark.
Eastern Kentucky (3-11, 2-3 OVC) returns home after a three-match road trip which it finished with a 1-2 record, including a three-set loss at Morehead State, October 30th. Two of the Lady Colonels three victories this season have come in conference play, defeating Tennessee Tech at home, September 17th, and winning at Eastern Illinois, September 25th.
Ashley Edmond leads the EKU offense with 174 kills (3.28 kills per set), but has just a .130 attack percentage. In fact, the Lady Colonels biggest weakness is its attack accuracy. They have recorded 599 kills this season but also have committed 323 errors for a .145 attack percentage that ranks ninth-best among OVC teams.
