Tweet #HouckFILLEDHouse

Complete Match Notes
Live Stats: EIU | SIUE

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Panthers of Eastern Illinois will come to Cape Girardeau on Friday, Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. followed by SIUE on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1:30 p.m. to open the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference schedule. 2013 is the first time the Redhawks have opened OVC play at Houck Field House since 2010.

Houck FILLED House
On Friday, Sept. 27, Southeast Missouri will attempt to break the volleyball home attendance record of 1,168 last set on Nov. 9, 1993 against Murray State; Southeast won the match, 3-1. 900 T-shirts will be given out to students who stay for the match and Southeast Missouri Recreation Services is donating bleachers to be put on the floor of Houck Field House for students. The last time bleachers were placed on the floor of Houck was the last time the record was set nearly 20 years ago.

Let's Review
Southeast Missouri opened the home schedule Wednesday, Sept. 18, against UMKC. Southeast won a very tight five-set match over the Roos. After a big win at home, Southeast used the momentum going into their last preseason tournament of 2013 at Mizzou. The Redhawks took the first match against Towson, 3-1, but fell in the ensuing three matches to Middle Tennessee, Samford, and unbeaten Missouri. For her efforts in the middle, Emily Coon earned all-tournament team.

A Look Ahead
After opening conference play this weekend, the Redhawks will continue on a four-game OVC stint beginning with a mid-week road-trip to OVC West foe, UT Martin on Oct. 1., followed by a visit from the Jacksonville State on Oct. 5.

Playing a Wall
Southeast Missouri has consistently led the OVC in blocks this season. Southeast has tallied 118 blocks (46 solo, 144 assisted), 2.19 blocks/set. Taylor Masterson (0.96 blocks/set) and Emily Coon (0.91 blocks/set) rank 5^th and 6^th in blocking in the OVC.

Start it Up
As a team, the Redhawk's offense ranks towards the bottom of the conference in hitting (.162 hitting percentage) and ranks last in kills (10.80 kills/set); however, individually, Emily Coon ranks fourth in the OVC in hitting percentage (.321) and Colleen Yarber ranks fourth in the kills category (156; 3.32 kills/set).

There's No Place like Home
Julie Yankus, now in her third season at the helm of the Redhawks, has garnered a 15-5 record at the friendly confines of Houck Field House. In home openers, she is 3-0 and 14-4 in OVC matches at home.

Athlete of the Week
This week's Montgomery Bank Female Athlete of the Week is senior setter Julie Shives. Shives assisted on 154 kills last week tallying eight kills of her own in 23 attempts, good enough for a .304 hitting percentage. As a team, the Redhawks hit .168. Shives tallied a career-high 60 assists against UMKC in the home opener on Sept. 18. The team posted a .260 hitting percentage in that game. Shives also had 29 digs on the week.

Scouting Trip
Eastern Illinois went 2-1 last week at the Kent State Classic. The Panthers defeated Illinois-Chicago and Binghamton and fell to host Kent State. Senior Reynae Hutchinson was named to the all-tournament team after recording a pair of double-doubles. She now has 29 double-doubles in her career. She finished the tourney with 38 kills to become a member of the 1,000-career kill club at EIU. Sophomore Marah Bradbury dished out 126 assists to help the Panthers hit .278 for the tourney.
SIUE went 2-2 last week, including going 2-1 in its own Cougar Invitational. The Cougars opened the week with a loss to UMKC before falling to DePaul and defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Georgia State in the tourney. Senior Kelsey  Augstine earned all-tournament team honors. For the week, she recorded 52 kills and a .377 hitting percentage. She reached double-digits in kills in all four matches, including a 17-kill effort against UMKC. Junior Chelsea Colclasure was also named to the all-tourney team. She averaged 5.93 digs per set over the four matches and recorded a season-best  29 digs against UMKC. She also collected six service aces over the four matches. Freshman Mallory Mangun dished out 137 assists. She recorded a .417 hitting percentage against undefeated DePaul. Mangun also recorded 40 digs last week.

OVC Preseason Poll
The Redhawks were picked to finish atop the West Division in the Ohio Valley Conference in the Preseason Poll.
Seniors Emily Coon, Colleen Yarber and Julie Shives were named to the Preseason All-OVC Team.