APSU Volleyball gets Four Set Victory over Louisiana Tech – Clarksville Online

Clemson, SC – Mikayla Powell opened the 2022 season with 16 kills, and the Austin Peay State University (APSU) volleyball team claimed a four-set victory (25-20, 22-25, 25-18, 25-17) against Louisiana Tech in the Big Orange Bash hosted at Clemson’s Jervey Gym, Friday morning.

Powell was one of three hitters to finish with double-digit kills – Marlayna Bullington added a 13-kill, 14-dig effort while Jaida Clark chipped in 10 kills to lead the APSU offense. Kelsey Mead posted a 26-assist, 10-dig double-double.

Austin Peay State University (1-0) hit better than .230 in all four sets and finished the match with 54 kills and a .273 attack percentage. Meanwhile, the Govs held Louisiana Tech to 47 kills and a .176 attack percentage.

Louisiana Tech (0-1) broke out for its lone set victory in the second, using 17 kills and a .342 attack percentage to hold off a late Austin Peay State University outburst. However, the Governors promptly held the Lady Techsters to 10 kills in the third set and a meager eight kills and .067 attack percentage in the fourth to claim the win.

The Governors now prepare to face host Clemson in a Friday night 6:00pm CT contest that can be viewed on ESPN+.

The Governor

Mikayla Powell got the 2022 campaign off in style with a 16-kill outing that saw her score a .433 attack percentage while also adding three blocks.

She now has three-straight double-digit kill outings after finishing 2021 with 16-kill and 18-kill performances in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship. It was her 15th double-digit kill total in her 34th match at Austin Peay State University.

Inside the Box Score

Austin Peay State University notched its first win against Louisiana Tech, leveling the all-time series, 1-1.

The APSU Governors improved to 5-6 in season openers under head coach Taylor Mott.

Graduate transfer Sadie Edmonston came off the bench to provide six assists and five digs in her Governors debut.

Freshman Sarah Carnathan had five kills and two blocks in her collegiate debut.

Set-by-Set

Set 1 (Govs win 25-20): Austin Peay State University opened the season with a 5-1 run and ran away with a wire-to-wire victory. Powell, Jaida Clark, and Tegan Seyring each had three kills to pace a 13-kill effort.

Set 2 (Louisiana Tech wins, 25-22): Louisiana Tech got out the gate quicker in the second set and led by three points at 7-4. Austin Peay State University fought back to tie the set at 12-12 and the teams ultimately battled through 11 ties and six lead changes. One final tie came at 22-22 before Louisiana Tech scored the set’s final three points. Powell notched six kills to lead the APSU Govs 15-kill performance but LTU had 17 kills and a .342 attack percentage in the set.

Set 3 (Govs win 25-18): The third set was nearly a duplicate of the first with Austin Peay State University jumping out to an early lead and rolling to the victory. Louisiana Tech would force two very early ties, but a 4-0 APSU run on Sadie Edmonston’s serve broke the set open. Austin Peay State University returned to its balanced attack with Powell, Bullington, and Clark each posting three kills.

Set 4 (Govs win 25-17): Early on it was a battle royal with the Govs and Lady Techsters battling through 10 ties and nine lead changes in the opening 26 points. But the APSU Govs won 10 consecutive points with Kelsey Mead at the service line to blow the game open. Powell went errorless in the fourth, scoring four kills on eight attempts. Bullington chipped in another five kills as the Govs clinched the match.