Oct. 4, 2006

Box Score

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Senior outside hitter Jessica Koeper (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) recorded a double-double of 26 kills and 17 digs as Southeast Missouri State volleyball captured a four-game Ohio Valley Conference victory over visiting Eastern Illinois tonight at Houck Fieldhouse. With the win, the Redhawks improve to 9-9 (3-2), while the Panthers drop to 5-11 (0-5) on the year.

Senior setter Jamie Baumstark (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) added a double-double of a match-high 47 assists and 10 digs, while junior middle blocker Brenna Schlader (Columbia, Mo./Hickman) had a match-best six blocks (three solo, three assisted). Freshman libero Molly Davis (Muncie, Ind./Burris) recorded a match-best 18 digs, while Junior outside hitter Brittany Hastings (Wichita, Kan./Circle) posted her first double-double of the season with 12 kills and 10 digs and freshman middle blocker Hannah Weis (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word) added a career-best 10 kills.

"We had a glimpse of brilliance tonight but not enough. We still need to play a full match from start to end," said Southeast head coach Renata Nowacki. "Jessie came back from a shaky performance at Morehead and Hannah has really stepped up for us in the front court. Their play tonight helped us capture this win"

EIU used three consecutive service points from freshman Shaina Boylan to break a 5-5 tie early in the first game to capture an 8-5 lead. Koeper brought the Redhawks to within 12-11 on a kill, but the Panthers turned a 13-6 scoring run into a 25-17 lead on a service ace and a kill by junior Kera Griffin. Four service points by junior Maren Crabtree and a kill by senior Kara Sorenson was part of a 5-1 run that handed EIU a 1-0 lead.

Southeast rebounded from its early performance in game two to claim an 8-3 lead on a Baumstark kill before EIU sliced its deficit to 11-10 on a service ace and a kill by Crabtree. Back-to-back kills by Schlader at 22-18 helped jumpstart a game-closing 8-2 run that included three kills apiece from Baumstark and Koeper.

In the third game, the Panthers posted a 12-9 lead on a Redhawk hitting error before Weis tallied four consecutive service points, including a service ace, to hand Southeast regain the lead at 23-19. After a Boylan service ace brought EIU to within 23-22, the Redhawks received three more kills from Koeper and a pair of kills from Hastings to score seven of the stanza's final nine points for a 2-1 lead.

The Panthers took a 14-9 lead in the fourth stanza on a solo block by freshman Sarah Collins. A 10-4 scoring run by the Redhawks later claimed a 19-18 advantage on a Koeper kill. An EIU service error and a kill from freshman right side hitter Karleigh DeLong (Corona, Calif./Santiago) gave Southeast a 25-23 lead. The home team closed the match by scoring five of the final seven points to win the match, capped by a service ace from junior defensive specialist Sirma Ozenir (Izmir, Turkey/Izmir Karsiyaka).

"We came off to an early slow start and found a way to win this match," added Koeper. "We will now focus on practice tomorrow and hopefully come out ready for Tennessee Tech on Friday."

Crabtree (44 assists, 16 digs) and junior Eliza Zwettler (14 kills, 17 digs) recorded double-doubles to lead EIU. Senior Mary Welch added 11 kills, Griffin tallied a five blocks (three solo, two assisted) and Boylan finished with 10 digs for the Panthers.

The Redhawks continue their homestand on Friday, Oct. 6 with an OVC match play against Tennessee Tech starting at 7 p.m.