Deland, FL – After trailing 2-1 midway through, the Austin Peay State University (APSU) beach volleyball team came back to earn wins from its No. 1 and No. 2 pairings, including the third-set dagger by freshman Aurora Bibolotti, as the Governors advanced past Eastern Kentucky in the ASUN Beach Volleyball Championship’s elimination bracket, Thursday, at the Cooper Beach Volleyball Courts.
With the victory, Austin Peay (14-15) now has earned a postseason win for the fourth-straight season, including back-to-back 3-2 wins against Eastern Kentucky.
After falling in their first set, Payton Deidesheimer and Elizabeth Wheat evened the match with a 21-18 victory in the second frame before dispatching EKU’s pairing of Elizabeth Fonvielle and Bailey Rima, 15-5 in the third to give APSU the match’s first point.
Eastern Kentucky (16-14) then answered with back-to-back three-set decisions within seconds, earning come-from-behind wins on both court No. 3 and No. 4.
Now trailing 2-1, the Govs’ No. 2 pairing of Kelsey Mead and Mikayla Powell earned their eighth win in nine opportunities this season following a 21-19, 21-12 victory against the Colonels’ EK Lonergan and Reagan Sandlin.
With the result now falling on the shoulders of both teams’ top pairing, Anna Rita and Aurora Bibolotti split their first two sets against EKU’s Paityn Walker and Sarah Mitchell.
Battling in a nail-biting third set, Rita and Bibolotti jumped out to an early 8-5 lead, before Eastern Kentucky answered with a 5-2 run to tie the frame at 10. The APSU Govs’ freshman pairing then jumped out to a 14-12 advantage on a double-match point. Bibolotti, from the back line, then fired a diving shot that touched just within the back-right corner to seal the victory.
Sandy Notes
Austin Peay State University improved to 2-5 all-time in the Atlantic Sun Conference Beach Volleyball Championship and 2-0 against the Colonels in the postseason.
Interim head coach Ginny Busse earned her first postseason win at the helm of the program.
The APSU Govs now are 7-7 all-time in the postseason.
The Govs’ freshman pairing of Anna Rita and Aurora Bibolotti improved to 7-2 on the season together while exclusively playing on the No. 1 court.
The graduate pairing of Kelsey Mead and Mikayla Powell improved to 8-1 this season while exclusively playing in the No. 2 slot.
Austin Peay State University improved to 5-11 in one-point matches.
Next Up For APSU Beach Volleyball
The Austin Peay State University beach volleyball team remains in the elimination bracket for their next match of the ASUN Championship, where they’ll take on No. 3 Florida Gulf Coast in a Friday 10:00am CT match at the Cooper Beach Volleyball Courts.
