CARROLLTON, Ga- The West Georgia women's volleyball team fell at home 3-0 to the Austin Peay Governors tonight (Nov. 15) in the final game of the season.

After dropping the first set, UWG (2-27, 0-16 ASUN) battled back to win the next two, before ultimately falling in the final pair of sets to APSU (5-23, 3-13 ASUN) to lose in one of the most competitive matches of the season. Tonight's final scores were 26-24 APSU, 25-20 UWG, 25-18 UWG, 25-23 APSU and 15-12 APSU.

The Wolves were led tonight by Valiree Schmus with 19 points, fueled by her tying her career-high of 17 kills. Molly Brunell tied her career-high of 11 kills, totaling 11.5 points. Alex Strating tied her season-high of six blocks and Grace-Blythe Cornett tied her season-high of ten digs.

MATCH DETAILS
The final match of the season kicked off with both teams trading blows. Through the first ten points each team scored, the match was tied three times with the lead changing hands three times as well. With Brunell leading the way early with three kills, UWG was able to push its advantage to 15-9. Extending its lead to 21-14, it looked like the Wolves had full control of the set, but the hungry Governors continued to fight. Over the next few volleys, the visitors went on a 6-1 run to cut the UWG advantage to 22-18, forcing the Pack to call a break in the action. Out of the timeout, APSU scored back-to-back points to bring the match to 22-20. Carrying all of the momentum, the Governors would overtake and go on to win 26-24.

Similar to the opening set, the second opened with the teams trading leads. By the time UWG reached the 15-point mark, Austin Peay was on its heels with 14, and match had been tied six times and the lead changed twice. Out of the 15-point media timeout, the Wolves went on a 3-1 run fueled by a pair of APSU attack errors and a kill from Schmus. It did not take long for the visitors to respond. Going two for one over the next few volleys, Austin Peay was able to catch back up to UWG, forcing the Wolves to call a timeout with the Pack holding a 21-20 advantage. Finishing on a 4-0 run, highlighted by Brunell's sixth kill and a service ace by Marley Staats, UWG secured a 25-20 set win to even the match at one a piece. At this point, Strating and Cornett led the way with 6.5 points each.

The third set opened with the visitors from Tennessee going on a 3-0 run, but the Wolves quickly regained its footing to knot the game at 3-3. Through the opening ten points each team scored, neither squad could break away.  With Schmus securing a pair of kills, UWG was able to create a 12-9 cushion, but the Wolves were not out of the woods yet. Quickly catching up, APSU was able to overtake, 14-13, following multiple West Georgia attack errors. Sustaining the ultra competitive match, it looked like it was anyone's game until UWG went on a 7-2 run, featuring back-to-back kills by Young, to give West Georgia a 22-17 advantage. Even with APSU calling both of their timeouts in an attempt to stop the bleeding, the Pack proved to be too much. UWG took the third set 25-18. 

Continuing the competitive play, UWG and APSU traded leads throughout the first volleys of the fourth set. By the time the visitors led 8-7, the match had been tied four times and the lead changed three times. Following a slow start out of media break, UWG went on a 4-1 run to lock the game at 19-19, but the visitors answered with a pair of points to reestablish a 21-19 advantage and force the Pack to call a timeout. Fueled by APSU attack errors, it looked like UWG was going to take the set, but the visitors were able to do just enough to win 25-23. 

The final set of the season opened with Austin Peay jumping out to a 3-1 run following a pair of UWG attack errors and an ace. Storming back by capitalizing on the Governors' mistakes, West Georgia knotted it up at 4-4. Trading points over the next few volleys, neither team could break away. That was until three consecutive kills by the visitors gave the team from Tennessee a 10-7 advantage. Despite the Wolves battling back to be down just 13-12, APSU did just enough to win 15-12. 

Even with the 2025 campaign coming to an end, you can stay up-to-date with all things UWG volleyball by following the program's Instagram and Twitter pages @uwgwolvesvb 


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