Game One Box Score – HTML / PDF
Game Two Box Score – HTML / PDF
 
STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Southeast Missouri volleyball team opened the 2013 season with a split at day one of the Maroon Classic hosted by Mississippi State Friday. Southeast fell in game one to the Bulldogs 3-0 (23-25, 18-25, 18-25) but turned it around in game two against UALR, winning 3-2 in five sets (30-28, 21-25, 15-25, 25-23, 15-12).

"It was a rough start to the tournament as we just couldn't find our rhythm," said head coach Julie Yankus. "I am very pleased with how we responded to our loss and how we came out fired up and ready to prove ourselves in the second game." 
 
Mississippi State 3, Southeast Missouri 0
The Bulldogs got the better of the Redhawks in the season opener, shutting-out Southeast, 3-0. Mississippi State had 55 kills to the Redhawk's 22 kills in the match.
 
The Redhawks fell in the first set 25-23. The first six points for the Redhawks came from MSU errors before Colleen Yarber recorded the first Redhawk kill. The Redhawks went on a 6-1 run at one point before falling behind and allowing MSU to take the set.
 
MSU came out of the gate fast in the second set and never looked back taking the set 25-18.
 
Much like the second set, the Bulldogs struck fast and pulled ahead of the Redhawks. MSU wrapped up the match with a 5-0 run, taking the set 25-18.
 
Yarber had seven kills and 12 digs in the match. Andrea Baylin recorded six kills with two blocks for Southeast.
 
Kimmy Gardiner killed the ball 19 times against the Redhawks with a .486 attack percentage.
 
Southeast Missouri 3, UALR 2
Southeast fell behind 2-1 in the match but rallied at the right times to come from behind and win their first match of the season.
 
The first set of game two for the Redhawks went long as Southeast and UALR battled back and fourth toward the end; but Southeast prevailed, 30-28. Southeast went on an 8-1 run to force the extra points. Southeast had a respectable .317 attack percentage in the first set.
 
UALR took sets two and three, 25-21, 25-15.
 
After being behind, Southeast went on a 6-1 run in the fourth set to pull ahead of UALR and take a comfortable lead. With a 24-18 lead, UALR went on a 5-0 run to pull within one point of the Redhawks. Southeast called a quick timeout followed by Baylin laying down a kill from Julie Shives to win the fourth set and force a fifth and final set.
 
Southeast jumped out in front in the fifth set and held on to win the match, 15-12.
 
Emily Coon recorded 20 kills in the match; one short of tying a career-high, with eight blocks (three solo, five assisted). Yaber contributed to the win with 16 kills of her own, more than doubling her performance from earlier in the day. Shives had 44 assists in the five-set contest.

"Coon had an amazing day for us, hitting over .400 as well as good blocking. She was a great leader on the court for us today," Yankus added. 
 
Southeast will wrap-up play at the Maroon Classic Saturday evening at 7 p.m. with a rematch against Mississippi State.