Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) volleyball team begins the final month of the 2019 volleyball regular season with a two-match homestand, Friday-Saturday, at the Dunn Center.
The Govs, who are seventh in the OVC race entering the first weekend of November, will face 11th place Eastern Illinois in a 6:00pm, Friday contest. Austin Peay State University then hosts fifth-place SIU Edwardsville in a 2:00pm, Saturday matchup.
Austin Peay State University will recognize its four seniors prior to the start of Saturday’s match against SIUE: defensive specialist MiMi Arrington, libero Ginny Gerig Busse, outside hitter Jenna Panning and defensive specialist Haley Turner.
From The Serve
Junior Brooke Moore is nearing a trio of career milestones, entering this weekend with 956 kills and 969 digs. She is seeking to become the 15th Govs player to reach 1,000 career kills and the 22nd to post 1,000 career digs. When she reaches both milestones, Moore would become the ninth Govs player to record 1,000 in both categories.
Junior Chloe Stitt leads the Govs offense, averaging 3.52 kils per set through 10 OVC matches, good for sixth among the league’s hitters. She is looking to rebound last weekend’s outing that saw the Govs opponents hold her to 12 kills (2.00/set).
Senior Ginny Gerig Busse regained the OVC lead in digs, averaging 5.70 digs per set in OVC action. She was the first OVC player to record 200 digs in league action, entering the weekend with 211 digs in 37 OVC sets. She ranks 52nd among Division I defenders with 4.78 digs per set for the season.
The Govs setter tandem of junior Caroline Waite and freshman Kelsey Mead have nearly evenly split the action in league play. Waite has 215 assists (6.94/set) while Mead has posted 210 assists (7.24/set).
The Govs victory against Texas Tech, September 7th, was their fourth win against a Power Five opponent during head coach Taylor Mott‘s tenure. It is the third consecutive year APSU has downed a Power Five foe.
The APSU Govs were picked to finish second in the OVC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish with a pair of Governors named to the 14-woman Preseason All-OVC Team.
While Austin Peay State University is the back-to-back defending Ohio Valley Conference champion, it has a largely new look in 2019 as it lost its top outside hitter, primary setter and top middle blocker to graduation.
APSU Volleyball’s Opponents
 |
 |
| Eastern Illinois 2-20 (1-9 OVC) Charleston, IL Roster Schedule Stats |
SIUE 11-11 (6-4 OVC) Edwardsville, IL Roster Schedule Stats |
| Eastern Illinois (2-20, 1-9 OVC) brings a three-match losing streak into Friday’s meeting in Clarksville.
The Panthers lone OVC win came in a marathon five-set match against Tennessee Tech, Oct. 18, but they have since been swept by OVC leaders Jacksonville State and Morehead State as well as Eastern Kentucky. In OVC play, senior Maggie Runge leads the EIU offense with a .331 attack percentage and 68 kills (2.13/set). Defensively, sophomore Hannah Sieg has 28 blocks (0.88/set) in OVC play. |
SIUE (11-11, 6-4 OVC) is 3-2 in its last four matches, picking up key wins against OVC leaders Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville State, but dropping a five-set decision to Morehead State in their last outing.
The Cougars are a defensive-minded team on par with the Governors, ranking second behind APSU with 17.21 digs per set in OVC play. SIUE does not have an individual ranked in any of the OVC’s Top 10 offensive stats, but juniors Annie Ellis (0.97 blocks per set) and Jordyn Kelin (4.95 digs per set) are ranked among the league’s Top 5 defensively. |
