Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team concludes its 2013 regular season when it faces Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion Morehead State in a 5:00pm, Saturday contest at Wetherby Gymnasium.
Austin Peay (12-20, 9-6 OVC) enters the regular season’s final match battling for seeding. The Lady Govs could end up as high as the fourth seed with a win or fall to the sixth seed with a loss, depending on results elsewhere in the league.
The Lady Govs relied heavily on their right-side hitters and middle blockers in Tuesday’s five-set win a Murray State. While the balance on offense was encouraging, with four players recording 10 or more kills, there is concern about the recent performance of Austin Peay’s outside hitters. The Lady Govs two primary outside hitters combined for just 11 kills in the win at Murray State.
“I like the way our right sides and middles are playing at the end of the season,” said Mott. “We have to find a way to get our outsides going. Everyone has to be playing well if we want to get on a roll over the next two weeks.
Scouting the Opposition
Morehead State (23-7, 14-1 OVC) enters the regular season finale with the 2013 title already in hand, something it secured nearly two weeks ago. The Eagles will look to rebound from a Tuesday loss at Eastern Kentucky, ending a streak of 36 consecutive OVC victories dating back to the 2011 season.
The Eagles success lies with a stout defensive effort that has limited opponents to a league best .129 attack percentage. Morehead State has posted that mark despite ranking in the middle of the pack in blocks (6th, 1.85 per set) and digs (9th, 15.65 per set). Senior libero Leslie Schellhass leads the defensive effort with 5.06 digs per set in conference play, ranking second among league liberos.
Series History
Morehead State has won the last four regular season meetings against Austin Peay, dating back to the 2009 season. However, the Lady Govs do own an OVC Tournament victory in during that stretch – claiming the 2010 tournament title on the Eagles home court. Morehead State leads the all-time series 40-27, including a 21-7 advantage at Wetherby Gymnasium.
On the Web
Saturday’s match at Morehead State will not be available on the OVC Digital Network. Live statistics can be seen by visiting Morehead State’s website (www.msueagles.com).
