Austin Peay Sports Information
Martin, TN – A lackluster outing brought an end to Austin Peay State University volleyball team’s three-match win streak as it was swept in three sets (19-25, 23-25, 22-25) by UT Martin, Saturday, at Skyhawk Fieldhouse.
UT Martin stopped the rally and later used a 6-1 run, including three straight kills by Allie Whimpley, to take a 14-11 lead. Another four-point run pushed the Skyhawks lead to six points, 19-13, and they did not look back, winning 25-19.
UT Martin (11-17, 4-10 OVC) scored the first three points of the second set, but Austin Peay rallied to force a tie at 7-7. The Skyhawks regained the lead with four straight points, three coming courtesy a Lady Govs miscue.
Austin Peay would fend off a pair of set points – one thanks to a block by Ashley Slay and Aubrey Marsellis then a second by a Sammie Ebright kill – but UTM closed the set with Madison Wessling’s kill, 25-23.
The third set may be the one that haunts Austin Peay as it held the lead all the way to 22-21. The Lady Govs enjoyed a five-point advantage at both 13-8 and 20-15. However, the Skyhawks won nine of the final 11 points, including three kills by Whimpley and two more by Emily Keaton – to escape with the win, 25-22.
“We never showed up to play,” said Lady Govs head coach Taylor Mott. “We played flat and UT Martin took advantage. I have to give UTM a lot of credit, they played great and we did not respond.”
Ebright came off the bench to lead Austin Peay with 12 kills and a .474 attack percentage. Senior Hillary Plybon notched her fourth-straight double-digit kill outing with 10 kills while recording a .500 attack percentage. Those two accounted for more than half of APSU’s 41 kills in the match.
Keaton led UTM with 13 kills and a .440 attack percentage while Whimpley added 12 kills at a .321 attack percentage. The Skyhawks finished with 47 kills at an impressive .312 clip.
Austin Peay will have a short turnaround, returning to action with a 7:00pm, Tuesday contest at league-leading Murray State.
