LOS ANGELES, CA. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Senior Ashley Slay posted five blocks, setting an Austin Peay State University volleyball record, but it wasn’t enough in a three-set loss (25-10, 25-13, 25-15) to No. 17 UCLA in the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship’s first round at Pauley Pavilion.
Austin Peay (30-6), making its second-ever NCAA tournament appearance, could not solve the UCLA offense which scored eight straight points to open the match en route to the first set win. The Governors started to find solutions in the second set with Slay involved in each of the Govs three blocks in the frame.
UCLA (20-10) found the going tougher to start the third set as Austin Peay forced five ties and two lead changes in the first 22 points. Slay and junior Logan Carger combined on a block to give the Govs their first lead of the match, 10-9, and two points later Slay put down a kill for an 11-10 lead. However, a 9-0 UCLA run – Kyra Rogers with three kills and Reily Buechler with five service aces – turned the tide for good.
Slay finished with five blocks, the most by a Govs player in the NCAA tournament, and three kills in her final outing as a Governor. Freshman Brooke Moore sophomore Jenna Panning each had five kills to pace the offense. Senior Allie O’Reilly had a team-best 15 digs and senior Christina White finished with three kills and a block in their final matches. Buechler scored 13 kills and seven service aces to lead UCLA’s offense which finished with 44 kills.
With the win, the Bruins advance to a 9 p.m. (CT), Saturday second-round contest where it will face Cal Poly, a three-set winner against Denver in the evening’s first match.