Clarksville, TN – Sarah Carnathan and Payton Deidesheimer combined for 33 kills, but the Austin Peay State University (APSU) volleyball team dropped a 3-1 match to Chattanooga Tuesday at the Winfield Dunn Center.
The Governors began the first set with a 6-2 run to take the early lead by four. The Mocs were able to cut their early trail to two at 7-5, but the Governors continued to extend their lead as a kill from Anna Rita made the difference six at 15-9, forcing a Mocs timeout.
A Chattanooga service ace would get them as close as one point at 16-15, but a 6-1 run from the APSU Govs gave them the 22-16 lead. Austin Peay State University ended the set with kills by Gabriella MacKenzie and Deideshiemer to take the first set, 25-19.
The Mocs battled back to begin the second set, going up 12-6 on the Govs. Austin Peay State University responded with a 6-1 run to get within one of their opponents at 13-12, forcing a Mocs timeout. The Mocs continued to extend their lead with a 10-4 run to go up 23-16.
The APSU Govs were able to cut their deficit to one point at 24-23 with a kill by Deidesheimer assisted by Tayler Baron, but they were unable to fight off the Mocs set point as a block by Chattanooga’s Kynli Kirkendoll and Breanah Rives ended the set giving the Mocs the 25-23 win.
Chattanooga got off to a quick start to begin the third set, but a kill by Dani Kopacz got the Govs within two at 10-8. A 4-0 run allowed the Mocs to take an 18-12 lead. However, a kill by Abby Thigpen cut the Govs’ trail to three at 23-20. MacKenzie fought off the first Mocs set point with a kill assisted by Maggie Duyos, but the APSU Govs could not fight off the Mocs’ second set point as a block by Kirkendoll ended the set, giving UTC the 25-21 win.
The two teams went back-and-forth to begin the fourth set as a kill by Carnathan tied the set at 6. The Mocs led by as many as three at 20-17, but kills by Rita, MacKenzie, and Deidesheimer got the APSU Govs within one point at 21-20. Chattanooga ended the set on a 4-1 run to take the fourth set, 25-21.
Next Up For APSU Volleyball
The Austin Peay State University volleyball team hosts Eastern Kentucky and Bellarmine, Friday and Saturday, at the Winfield Dunn Center.