Sept. 9, 2006

Box Score

MEMPHIS - Senior outside hitter Jessica Koeper (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) recorded her second double-double of the weekend with 16 kills and 12 digs as Southeast Missouri State volleyball defeated Memphis in three games (30-16, 33-31, 30-19) Friday night at the Tiger Invitational. With the win, the Redhawks improve their season record to 3-6, while the Tigers suffered their first loss of the year and fall to 7-1.

Senior setter Jamie Baumstark (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) paced Southeast to a .324 hitting percentage with 34 assists in addition to posting a career-best .800 hitting clip (8-0-10) and a season-best four service aces. Junior outside hitter Brittany Hastings (Wichita, Kan./Circle) added eight kills, freshman libero Molly Davis (Muncie, IN/Burris) produced 12 digs and freshman middle blocker Hannah Weis (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word) recorded four block assists for the Redhawks.

"This was a tremendous team effort. Our seniors played well once again as they have been leading us in the tournament," Southeast head coach Renata Nowacki stated. "We are looking for big things from the seniors and the rest of the team heading into tomorrow."

Southeast took a 11-5 lead in the first game on a kill by sophomore middle blocker Katrina Niemeyer (Germantown, Ill./Mater Dei). A Baumstark kill later increased the lead to 18-9 before the Tigers converted the next two points to close within 18-11. Koeper helped jumpstart a game-ending 12-5 scoring run with a kill to put the visitors ahead by a game.

Memphis used five straight service points from Lauren Thompson to snap a 6-6 tie and capture a 10-6 lead on a block by Laura Cote and Shelby Burton. Five kills by Sarah Bury helped the Tigers score seven of the next 11 points to claim their biggest lead of the game at 17-10. Southeast bounced back with a 13-5 scoring drive of its own to claim a 23-22 advantage on a block by junior middle blocker Brenna Schlader (Columbia, Mo./Hickman) and Baumstark. Both teams later battled through five ties and several lead changes until kills by Baumstark and Schlader put the Redhawks up 2-0 entering intermission.

Game three saw Southeast post an early 8-5 lead on a kill by Koeper and increased its lead to 11-5 on a Niemeyer kill. A 7-4 scoring drive later hiked the Redhawks' lead to 18-9 on a kill by Baumstark. After a Burton kill brought the Tigers to within eight at 20-12, Southeast closed out the match with a 10-4 scoring run.

Bury finished with a match-best 17 kills and eight digs to lead Memphis. Liford added 10 kills and Cote posted a match-high 37 assists for the Tigers. Burton tallied eight kills and three block assists and Christen Clayton recorded 12 digs.

Southeast returns to action tomorrow at the Tiger Invitational with a contest against Louisiana Tech beginning at 11:30 a.m.