JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville State volleyball team put an exclamation-point finish to an exciting Homecoming Day at JSU, rallying to beat Austin Peay in five sets (23-25, 26-24, 18-25, 25-16, 15-13).
 
The Gamecocks (13-18, 3-9 Ohio Valley Conference) fell behind 2-1 in the match, before a determined comeback effort led to victories in games four and five. The Lady Govs dropped to 6-21 overall and 1-11 in league action.
 
"I'm really really happy with our effort and that we got the win," said head coach Terry Gamble courtside following the match. "That's a good win for us."
 
"I thought Allyson Zuhlke and Mackenzie Rombach played a great match. I was really proud of how those two played."
 
Sophomore Zuhlke blew away her previous career best of 18 kills, finishing Saturday night with 23. The Tomball, Texas, product hit .340 and was the driving force for the Gamecock offense in several critical times during the match.
 
Freshman Rombach topped Zuhlke's hitting mark with a team-high .391 attack percentage. She had 11 kills and just two errors. Across the net, the first-year standout also recorded four blocks, three of which were solos.
 
Senior Emily Rutherford tied Rombach's 11 kills and had 17 digs in a big double-double performance. Pacing Jax State's offense was sophomore setter Jennifer Hart. The native of Davidson, N.C., also had a double-double with 17 digs and a new season-high 55 assists, coming within six of her career-best standard of 61.
 
Sophomore libero Hannah Kirk did set a new a new personal best with her 27 digs. Her best so far in 2015 was 21, and previous high in her career came a year ago versus Tennessee Tech in the OVC Tournament when she recorded 26 digs.  
 
A night that finished in excitement, didn't look as bright for the Gamecocks early on. JSU trailed 23-19 in the first set, when a pair of kills from Rombach was part of a 3-0 run to pull within a point, 23-22. APSU closed out the set 25-23.
 
In the second set, Zuhlke stepped up with nine of her 23 kills coming in the frame. Much like the first, the set was back-and-forth almost even the entire way. However this time, it was JSU that broke away at the end, pulling out from a 22-22 tie to win 26-24.
 
APSU hit a match-best .310 in the third for a comfortable 25-18 victory. JSU responded with 14 kills to take a critical fourth set, 25-16, forcing a decisive fifth frame.
 
An electric crowd for most of the night held its breath as JSU fell behind 8-5 to begin the fifth. Freshman Kim Krutsinger had a couple of key kills to help trim the deficit to one, 10-9. She ended the night with seven kills overall and four blocks. Sophomore Charis Ludtke began and finished the final comeback for JSU down the stretch. Ludtke's kill while trailing 13-11 began a thrilling 4-0 run for the Gamecocks which was capped by Ludtke's service ace to seal the victory.
 
"We fought all night," said Gamble. "And even when we made mistakes, we rebounded from it. To see this team grow as players and young adults, I'm extremely proud of that."
 
JSU continues home OVC play next weekend when Belmont and Tennessee State come to town.