THURDAY'S SCORES
@Ole Miss 3,
Austin Peay 0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-22)
OLE MISS 3, AUSTIN PEAY 0
OXFORD, Miss. - Senior Ashley Slay finished with 10 kills and seven blocks, but Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team saw an 11-block effort go for naught in a three-set loss (22-25, 15-25, 22-25) to Mississippi, Thursday night at Gillom Sports Center.
Austin Peay (6-2) kept the first set close, tying the frame eight times, but could not regain the lead after scoring the set’s first point. The Governors would tie the set a final time at 17-17 before Mississippi strung together four points, two coming on blocks, to take control of the set. APSU would gather a final charge and forced an Rebels timeout at 24-22 after a Slay block but could not extend the rally.
Mississippi (6-3) controlled the second set, winning in wire-to-wire fashion. The Governors could not get the ball into Slay’s hands as she had just three attack attempts and was held without a kill.
The Governors held their first extended lead of the match in the third set, grabbing the reins on a Slay kill at 8-7. Austin Peay’s lead would last until a Mississippi block tied the set, 19-19. The Rebels took the lead on the next rally thanks to a Kate Gibson kill and would not relinquish the lead.
Slay was the only APSU hitter to find double-digit kill territory, finishing with 10 of the team’s 30 kills. Her seven blocks led the team with Kaylee Taff chipping in another four blocks.
Gibson led all hitters with a Rebels-leading 12 kills. Mississippi finished with 45 kills and a .206 attack percentage.
Austin Peay continues its stay in Oxford with a pair of Friday matches. First a 10 a.m. contest against Mercer followed by a 3 p.m. match against Northwestern State.