Clarksville Times

After starting the season with eight matches on the road, Austin Peay State University's beach volleyball team returns home for the first time this season when it hosts Central Arkansas, Lindenwood, and UT Martin for the Governors Beach Challenge, Friday and Saturday, at the Govs Beach Volleyball Complex. 

Austin Peay opens the weekend with a noon, Friday match against Central Arkansas and a 2 p.m., Friday match against Lindenwood before playing 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. matches against Lindenwood and UT Martin to wrap up the home weekend, Saturday. 

This weekend will be the Governors first matches against Central Arkansas and UT Martin this season and their first-ever match against Lindenwood. Austin Peay is 14-3 all-time against UT Martin – its most common opponent in program history – and won its last two meetings with the Skyhawks last season. The Govs are 2-4 all-time against Central Arkansas, but won their last two meetings with the Bears during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

In last season's Governors Beach Challenge, Austin Peay went 3-0 with wins against Carson-Newman, Jacksonville State, and UT Martin. The Govs went 11-1 at the Govs Beach Volleyball Complex during the 2022 season and are 29-15 at home during the program's seven-year history.

The Preseason ASUN All-Conference tandem of Marlayna Bullington and Kelsey Mead have played in the No. 1 position for the Governors in all eight matches this season while posting a team-best five wins. In the past two seasons, Bullington and Mead have played together exclusively while compiling a 26-13 record. 

Chloee McDaniel and Mikayla Powell have played in the No. 2 position for head coach Taylor Mott in all eight matches this season and have posted a 3-5 record. Next in line is the duo of Elizabeth Wheat and Jamie Seward, who have gone 5-3 while playing on the No. 3 and No. 4 lines. Wheat and Seward have a pair of wins in the No. 3 position and are 3-0 when slotted in the No. 4 spot – where Austin Peay is a perfect 8-0 as a team this season.

The senior pairing of Tegan Seyring and Erin Eisenhart have also gone 3-0 while playing in the No. 4 spot en route to a 3-3 mark overall this season. Seyring and Eisenhart have picked up all their losses on the No. 3 line but enter the weekend on a team-best two-match winning streak. Eisenhart has also partnered with Karli Graham and Jenna Salyers on the No. 4 line and went 1-0 with both to bring her overall record to 5-3 this season. 

Graham has played most of her matches with Tristin Smith on the No. 5 line, where the duo is 3-4 overall this season. Smith also partnered with Payton Deidesheimer in the No. 5 position once, but the freshman duo dropped that match to Liberty.

After this weekend's home event, Austin Peay will travel to the EKU Beach Tournament, March 24-25, where it takes on Eastern Kentucky, Tusculum, Ottawa (Kan.), and Liberty in Richmond, Kentucky. For news and updates on everything Governors beach volleyball, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsBVB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.

Governors Beach Challenge Schedule

Friday, March 17
Noon – Central Arkansas vs. Austin Peay
2:00 PM – Lindenwood vs. Austin Peay
4:00 PM – Central Arkansas vs. Lindenwood 

Saturday, March 18
10:00 AM – Lindenwood vs. Austin Peay
Noon – UT Martin vs. Central Arkansas
2:00 PM – UT Martin vs. Austin Peay 

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