Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) volleyball team concludes its regular season with a two-match Ohio Valley Conference series against Eastern Illinois beginning Saturday at 6:00pm, followed by a Sunday match at 4:00pm at Lantz Arena.
The Govs lead the all-time series against Eastern Illinois 27-23 and have won each of the last 10 matches against the Panthers in four or less sets.
Graduate student Brooke Moore leads APSU in kills (356), digs (325) and service aces (33), while junior setter Kelsey Mead has quarterbacked the Govs’ offense and leads the team with 553 assists (5.37/set).
Middle blocker Maggie Keenan has been an anchor for the Govs defensively and leads the OVC with 25 solo blocks and has 104 total blocks. Her 1.09 blocks per set is third in the conference, while the Franklin native’s .362 hitting percentage is second during the OVC slate, behind teammate Claire Darland’s .366 mark.
After losing their first 11 matches to start the conference season, Eastern Illinois has won three of their last five and is currently eighth in the OVC standings.
While the Govs lead the OVC with a .254 hitting percentage during the conference season, EIU has struggled offensively and enters the weekend with a conference-low .145 attack percentage.
First Swings
Outside hitter Brooke Moore, a Preseason All-OVC selection, is the only player in program history – and sixth in OVC history – to record 1,500 kills and 1,500 digs during their career. She enters Wednesday’s match with 1,541 kills (1st all-time) and 1,560 digs (9th).
With her seventh kill against UT Martin, November 7th, Moore became the APSU Govs all-time kills leader, passing Sarah Schramka’s (2001-04) previous record of 1,530.
Right-side hitter Mikayla Powell, the reigning 2020-21 NJCAA National Player of the Year, is a two-time OVC Newcomer of the Week. She is currently second on the team in kills (271) and blocks (68) and is second in the OVC with a .301 hitting percentage through 108 sets.
The APSU Govs setter tandem of Caroline Waite and Kelsey Mead are in their second year combining to quarterback the Govs offense. The duo ranks 11th and 12th all-time in career assists, respectively. Waite has averaged 5.01 assists and 2.17 digs per set while Mead is averaging 5.37 assists and 1.69 digs per set with 29 aces through 11 weeks.
Middle blocker Maggie Keenan, who has recorded four or more blocks 15 times this season and leads the Govs with 104 on the season. Her 1.09 blocks per set are currently the third-highest mark in program history
The Governors have boasted a high-powered offense throughout the season and lead the conference with a .231 attack parentage.
After sweeping UT Martin, Austin Peay State University improved to 9-0 at home this season, marking just the third time in program history that the Governors have posted a perfect regular-season record at home (1992, 2018).
Next Up For APSU Volleyball
Following the series against Eastern Illinois, the Austin Peay State University volleyball team prepares for the OVC Tournament, November 18th-20th, which is hosted by the top-seeded team which will be either Morehead State or Southeast Missouri.