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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Southeast Missouri volleyball team swept the SIUE Cougars Friday evening in three sets (25-14, 25-19, 27-25).
 
The Redhawks improve to 7-14 overall on the season and 3-4 in Ohio Valley Conference play. SIUE is now 9-13, 1-6 OVC.
 
The beginning of the opening stanza was well fought on both sides of the net. Tied at nine, the Redhawks put up five-straight points on the Cougars to go out in front 14-9. It was all Redhawks the remaining of the set. Southeast secured the set with a 4-0 run, ending it with two SIUE errors, 25-14. Nzingha Clarke put up her first four-kill set of the match in set one.
 
It was a similar tale in set two. Tied at 10, Southeast used a small 3-0 run to take a lead. It wasn't much but it was enough to go ahead and stay ahead. With SIUE only two points behind at 20-18, Southeast used a 5-1 run to wrap up the set and go up 2-0 in the match, 25-19. As a team, Southeast hit .524 in the second set and put up six total blocks. Clarke had four blocks of her own in the set.
 
With the Redhawks on the cusp of a sweep, SIUE knew they had to come out ready to play in set three. A seven-point run put the Cougars ahead 14-7. The Redhawks never gave up though as they fought to even up the score at 20 all. The Redhawks went ahead 23-21 but SIUE retied it with two points of their own. Both teams found themselves knotted up at 25 all. Two SIUE errors sealed the sweep for Southeast, 27-25.
 
Clarke finished her evening with nine kills while hitting .692 and putting up five blocks. Taylor Masterson also had five blocks on the night with seven kills.
 
The Redhawks return to the floor Saturday at 5 p.m. against Eastern Illinois. Fans with a ticket from Saturday's football game will receive free admission to the volleyball match.