Volleyball sweeps, then stumbles at home
Nick Johnson
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Sports
Set scores for the match were 22-25, 25-20, 9-25, and 18-25.
The first set saw 12 ties and 8 lead changes between the two teams, but Austin Peay was able to score the last three points of the set to take game one.
After Eastern battled back to take a 17-9 lead in set two, the match began to shift completely in the Lady Govs favor. Austin Peay cut Eastern's lead to two at three different times down the stretch. Eastern was able to hold on for the set win, but the game had changed.
"We started out solid," sophomore outside hitter Amanda Fago said. "But when they started coming back we froze, we started playing hesitant, we stopped talking to each other on the court and that continued into the third set."
Austin Peay led throughout the third set. OVC Offensive Player of the Week Stephanie Champine had four of her 11 kills in a brutal stretch that saw the Lady Govs outscore the Colonels 10-2. Kayla Grantham had two uncontested service aces during that same stretch for Austin Peay. Grantham had four service aces for the match.
The 25-9 loss margin for the set was the worst of the season for Eastern.
"It's unacceptable to lose like that," Fago said. "It sucks. Nobody can say they played well."
Fago led the Colonels with 10 kills and two solo blocks. Hendle contributed 32 assists. O'Connor had a match high 22 digs.
Austin Peay's Kirstin Distler finished the match with 12 kills and 15 digs.
Eastern now attempts to move forward with a pivotal three game road trip. The Colonels will travel to play Eastern Illinois on Friday at 8 p.m. and then play Southeast Missouri State at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Earlier in the season Eastern beat EIU 3-1 after beating SEMO in five sets for their first win of the season. The Colonels have not won a game on the road yet.
Eastern sits in seventh in the OVC standings, a half game behind SEMO for sixth.
"We're not going to quit," Fago said. "We're not done. We won't let this game be the end of our season."
The first set saw 12 ties and 8 lead changes between the two teams, but Austin Peay was able to score the last three points of the set to take game one.
After Eastern battled back to take a 17-9 lead in set two, the match began to shift completely in the Lady Govs favor. Austin Peay cut Eastern's lead to two at three different times down the stretch. Eastern was able to hold on for the set win, but the game had changed.
"We started out solid," sophomore outside hitter Amanda Fago said. "But when they started coming back we froze, we started playing hesitant, we stopped talking to each other on the court and that continued into the third set."
Austin Peay led throughout the third set. OVC Offensive Player of the Week Stephanie Champine had four of her 11 kills in a brutal stretch that saw the Lady Govs outscore the Colonels 10-2. Kayla Grantham had two uncontested service aces during that same stretch for Austin Peay. Grantham had four service aces for the match.
The 25-9 loss margin for the set was the worst of the season for Eastern.
"It's unacceptable to lose like that," Fago said. "It sucks. Nobody can say they played well."
Fago led the Colonels with 10 kills and two solo blocks. Hendle contributed 32 assists. O'Connor had a match high 22 digs.
Austin Peay's Kirstin Distler finished the match with 12 kills and 15 digs.
Eastern now attempts to move forward with a pivotal three game road trip. The Colonels will travel to play Eastern Illinois on Friday at 8 p.m. and then play Southeast Missouri State at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Earlier in the season Eastern beat EIU 3-1 after beating SEMO in five sets for their first win of the season. The Colonels have not won a game on the road yet.
Eastern sits in seventh in the OVC standings, a half game behind SEMO for sixth.
"We're not going to quit," Fago said. "We're not done. We won't let this game be the end of our season."
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