CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Junior Sammie Ebright posted a double-double as Austin Peay State University’s volleyball team gave its three seniors a win in their final match, downing Eastern Kentucky in three sets (26-24, 25-17, 25-15) in a Saturday Ohio Valley Conference match.
In its final match of 2015, Austin Peay (10-22, 4-12 OVC) got out to a quick start offensively. The Lady Govs recorded an impressive 22 kills in the 26-24 victory, finishing with a .346 attack percentage for the set. APSU rallied from an 18-15 deficit thanks to four straight kills, three by senior Samantha Strother. The Lady Govs got to set point first, but needed an Ebright kill to end the set on their second opportunity.
The Lady Govs and Eastern Kentucky battled through seven lead changes and two ties in the second set’s opening 18 points, leading to a 9-9 tie. Austin Peay broke the tie with nine-straight points, which included two kills and a block by freshman Kaylee Taff. With the 18-9 lead, Austin Peay did not look back and won the set 25-17.
A 6-1 start to the third set put Austin Peay in a good position for the sweep. The Lady Govs pushed the lead to 10 points, 15-5, and fended off a small Eastern Kentucky charge. Three straight APSU points ended the match with APSU winning the set 25-15.
Ebright led Austin Peay with a 15-kill, 17-dig double-double performance, posting a .424 attack percentage. Taff added 11 kills and a .450 attack percentage.
Seniors Aubrey Marsellis, Samantha Strother and April Adams each made significant contributions in their final Austin Peay match. Marsellis had a 40-assist, 12-dig double-double. Strother had nine kills, nine digs and two service aces. Adams led the Lady Govs with 18 digs.
Eastern Kentucky was held to 37 kills and a .121 attack percentage with no player reaching double-digit kill territory, three players recording eight kills to lead the EKU effort.