CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Junior Brittney Whitten amassed 21 kills and 21 digs in just three games on Friday night, but her and the Jacksonville State volleyball team were swept by Austin Peay in Ohio Valley Conference action.

 

Whitten, an outside hitter from Boonvile, Ind., led all players in both categories to record her 15^th double-double of the season, but it would be the second-place Lady Govs (17-6, 8-2 OVC) who would hand the Gamecocks (6-16, 2-9 OVC) the 3-0 (25-19, 27-25, 31-29) defeat. The Gamecocks pushed Peay past the 25^th point in two of the three sets before eventually dropping the match that saw 38 ties and 14 lead changes.

 

Whitten, who hit .203 in the match, joined sophomore Caitlin Vorbeck as the only two Gamecocks in double figures in the kills category. Vorbeck, a native of Raytown, Mo., had 15 kills, while also tallying seven digs.

 

Freshman Lauren Harkins added 13 digs on the defensive end for JSU, while sophomore Brooke Schumacher picked up 10 digs to go along with 38 assists.

 

The Lady Govs, who remain in the hunt with Morehead State for the OVC regular season crown, were led by Jessica Mollman's 17 kills, tops among a group of three players with double figures in that category. Caroline Frens' 17 digs paced a group of four APSU players with 10 or more in the match.

 

The Gamecocks will finish the weekend on Saturday at 2 p.m., when they take on Tennessee State in Nashville. They will return home next weekend for their final two home matches of the year, starting with a 7 p.m. meeting with Eastern Kentucky on Friday.