APSU Sports Information
Jacksonville, FL – Senior Ashley Slay became the 14th Governor to record 1,000 kills, leading Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team to a three-set sweep (25-15, 25-11, 25-23) of Presbyterian, Saturday, of the Jacksonville Classic at UNF Arena.
Austin Peay (10-2) cruised through the first two sets before needing a come-from-behind effort in the third frame to secure its 10th win this season.
The Governors offense rolled up 47 kills and a .288 percentage in the sweep while the defense won the battle both in blocks (9-2) and digs (61-44).
Slay notched her 1,000th kill midway through the third set and finished the match with 13 kills while posting a .462 attack percentage. Junior Kaylee Taff added eight kills and a team-best six blocks to lead the defense.
Presbyterian (3-8) was limited to 28 kills and a .051 attack percentage. Erin Eulitz led the Blue Hose with six kills.
Set by Set
First
Presbyterian enjoyed a brief 9-8 lead after scoring back-to-back points, but Austin Peay rattled off the next four points to take a 12-9 lead and force a PC timeout. A later 5-1 Governors run broke the set open, 20-12, and they didn’t look back, finishing the frame with 14 kills (.282 attack percentage) and four blocks.
Second
The Govs played a nip-and-tuck affair halfway through the first rotation, but with Kristen Stucker at the service line, they turned the set around. Austin Peay scored five straight points on Stucker’s serve, including back-to-back kills by Christina White, to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 10-7 lead.
On the next rotation, White went to the service line and the Govs put the set away with a 6-0 run with Kaylee Taff putting down three kills. Austin Peay won 25-11 thanks to 19 kills and a .486 attack percentage.
Third
Govs battled through a slow start to the third, but Ashley Slay recorded her ninth kill and 1,000th career kill to get the Govs within two points, 7-5. Soon after, Presbyterian put together a 7-0 run to build their largest lead of the match, 15-8.
Austin Peay rallied back with a 7-1 run of their own to tie the set at 17-17. The teams traded the next 12 points, before Logan Carger and Ashley Slay closed the match with back-to-back kills for a 25-23 win. The Governors posted 14 kills in the set and won despite a .108 attack percentage.
Govs Notably
Slay the Fourth
In addition to becoming the 14th Govs hitter to reach the 1,000-kill plateau, Slay became just the fourth middle blocker to reach the milestone. She joins Amy Walk (1,483), Kim Smith (1,350) and Jessica Mollmann (1,179) as middle blockers to record 1,000 kills in their career.
Slay Moves to 12th
Slay’s 13-kill performance also pushed her to 1,004 career kills, jumping past three Governors alumnae into 12th on the career kills list. She moved past Laura Wussow (981), Tisa Batey (1,001) and Ilyanna Hernandez (1,002). Next on the list is Kirstin Distler with 1,062 kills.
Taff Blocks Away
Taff tied her season high with six blocks against Presbyterian, equaling her effort set against Georgia State last week in Oxford, Mississippi. She now has 33 blocks this season, trailing only Slay (39) among the Govs blocks leader
Next Up for APSU Volleyball
Austin Peay wraps up its nine-match road trip with a noon contest against host Jacksonville.
