Morehead, Ky. – After the first four matches were done in two sets, the top spot came down to the third set in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Beach Volleyball Championships on Thursday afternoon in Morehead, Ky. The third-seeded Mocs defeated No. 2 Austin Peay for the first time this season, 3-2, behind a 15-11 victory at the No. 1 pair.  

The dual began with a Chattanooga straight-set win at No. 5 from Joy Courtright and Julia Davis, 21-19, 21-14. Austin Peay quickly evened things up with a straight set win of its own at No. 4, 21-15, 21-16.
 
Bailey Steger and Hanley Lomax put the Mocs within one match of clinching with a 21-13, 21-17 win at No. 3. After the Govs battled back in a second set at No. 2, they won that contest in straight sets, 21-18, 22-20 to tie the dual at two.
 
At the top spot, Baylee Young and Gylian Finch dropped the first set to the league's pair of the year, Marlayna Bullington and Kelsey Mead. In the second set, the UTC duo dominated, winning the frame 21-13, forcing a third and final set to decide the dual. In the third set, Finch and Young won 15-11, securing the first postseason win in program history for the Mocs.

Chattanooga moves on to face the winner of UT-Martin and Morehead State on Friday, April 29 at 4 p.m. Austin Peay moves to the bottom bracket and will play Eastern Illinois later Thursday afternoon.
 
No. 3 Chattanooga 3, No. 2 Austin Peay 2
1. Baylee Young/Gylian Finch (CHATT) def. BULLINGTON, Marlayna/MEAD, Kelsey (APSU) 18-21, 21-13, 15-11
2. MOORE, Brooke/POWELL, Mikayla (APSU) def. Paige Gallentine/Neva Clark (CHATT) 21-18, 22-20
3. Hanley Lomax/Bailey Steger (CHATT) def. MCINNIS, Demi/SEYRING, Tegan (APSU) 21-13, 21-17
4. WAITE, Caroline/BUGGS, Janvier (APSU) def. Victoria Cerino/Madison Morris (CHATT) 21-15, 21-16
5. Joy Courtright/Julia Davis (CHATT) def. WHEAT, Elizabeth/GRAHAM, Karli (APSU) 21-19, 21-14

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