CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Southeast Missouri volleyball fell to Austin Peay Friday evening in five sets, 3-2 (24-26, 24-26, 25-9, 25-11, 21-23). 

The Redhawks found themselves down two sets going into the intermission but picked up strong momentum to tie the match 2-2. Both teams battled hard in the fifth set but Austin Peay would prevail in the match. 

The Redhawks fall to 10-16 on the season and 6-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Lady Govs pick up their second OVC win, climbing to 2-11 OVC and 8-21 on the season. 

The Redhawks trailed the entirety of the first set. The Lady Govs opened the set with a 4-0 run. Austin Peay remained out in front but the Redhawks were never too far out of striking distance. A kill by Taylor Masterson brought Southeast within one, 13-12, but Austin Peay used four straight points to snuff the Redhawk attack, 17-12. Southeast's offense began to fire late in the set to tie it up at 23 all. The Redhawks drew set point at 24-23 but two Lady Gov kills and a Redhawk error sealed the opening frame for Austin Peay, 26-24. 

The second set remained neck-and-neck with the lead changing multiple times. Down 21-18, Southeast scored on three-straight rallies to tie it up at 21, forcing Austin Peay to call a timeout. The Redhawks come out of the timeout and for the second time on the night, drew set point, 24-22. Two straight kills by Kelly Ferguson tied it at 24 followed by two Redhawk errors allowed Austin Peay to take the second frame, 26-24, and a 2-0 lead in the match. 

With their backs against the wall in the third set, Southeast came out swinging. The Redhawks recorded a .583 hitting percentage in the set en route to a dominant 25-9 set three victory. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the Redhawks cruised and never looked back in the set to stay alive in the match. Southeast had zero attack errors in the set. 

Southeast quickly jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the fourth set. A five-point run widened the Southeast lead to 13-5. Once again the Redhawks rolled to a 25-11 set four victory, tying the match at 2-2 and forcing a decisive fifth and final set. Once again, the Redhawks put up a solid hitting percentage in the set, tallying a .457 clip. 

The fifth and final set was a wild one. The Lady Govs led the Redhawks 8-5 at the end change. APSU led 9-6 before Southeast surged for three points to tie it at 9-9. The Lady Govs drew match point, up 14-11 but the Redhawks had other plans, tying the set up at 14. Neither team could score sequential points to take the set. Tied at 21, Austin Peay recorded two straight kills to steal the match away from the Redhawks, 23-21. The set was tied a whopping 14 times while the lead changed six times. 

A pair of Redhawks each recorded double-doubles Friday. Krissa Gearring put up 17 kills and recorded 15 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. Marie Less had a season-high 24 digs to go with 10 kills for her sixth double-double. 

Nzingha Clarke had 17 kills and six blocks while Madalyn Werths laid down 16 kills and recorded four blocks in the match. 

Katarina Rotta assisted on 46 kills Friday.

As a team, Southeast recorded 14 blocks and hit .267. The Redhawks tallied more kills (67-64), more digs (89-75), more blocks (14-9), more aces (9-5), and 14 less errors (20-34). 

The Redhawks return to the court at Murray State on Saturday at 2 p.m.