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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Southeast Missouri volleyball team evened up their Ohio Valley Conference record at 4-4 Saturday with a wild 3-2 win over Eastern Illinois (23-25, 25-23, 25-19, 18-25, 15-10).
 
Southeast is now 8-14 overall on the season. The Redhawks won both matches at home on the weekend with wins over SIUE and EIU. EIU is now 9-12, 3-5 OVC.
 
"I am very happy with the way we played this weekend and it was great to be at home and we really came out to play all weekend. With these wins, it told us that anything is possible and anyone can win this conference because of how close all these matches are," said head coach Julie Yankus. "To start out 0-3 and now be 4-4 is great to see and that's huge for us."
 
 The Panthers led much of the opening set but Southeast was constantly in striking distance. Down 21-17, Southeast used three points to pull within one. The Redhawks and Panthers were all knotted up at 23 but EIU was able to fend off the Redhawk offense to take set one, 25-23.
 
Set two was very close as the set was tied a total of 10 times. The set was tied at 19 and Southeast was able to pull ahead just enough to go ahead to take the set 25-23. Taylor Masterson and Nzingha Clarke each had five kills in the set.
 
The Redhawks used a 25-19 set three win to take a 2-1 lead in the match. With Southeast up 12-10, the Redhawks used five-straight points to take a comfy 17-10 lead on EIU. The Redhawks used the big lead to cruise to the set three win. Masterson once again terminated the ball five times in the set. Southeast had a match-high five blocks in set three.
 
The beginning of set four was the closest of the match as it was tied 12 times and the lead changed four times. Tied at 17, the Panthers used an 8-1 run to take set four, 25-18, and tie up the match at two sets apiece and force a fifth and final set.
 
The Redhawks used five-straight points to go up on EIU, 6-2, in the final set. Southeast was up as much as seven points in the set. EIU cared to make it interesting but the Redhawks were able to wrap up the set, 15-10, and win the match in five sets.
 
Masterson finished with 16 kills, just one short of tying a career-high. Masterson hit .609 with four blocks. Clarke had 10 kills with eight blocks. In all, four Redhawk hitters finished in double-digit kills including Andrea Baylin and Kelsey Keeve each with 12 kills.  As a team, Southeast hit .288.
 
"Four players in double-digit kills is how you win matches. We have got to continue to spread our offense like that and get more swings from more players."
 
Southeast finished with 14 team blocks.
 
"Blocking in general has been great lately. We had good coverage and our numbers would've been even higher if more balls had fallen on our blocks. We have been very disciplined in our form and we work on it a lot. It is sometimes a skill that is overlooked but its so important. I am very happy with our block tonight and a lot of that is the effort of the middles to get there and close."
 
Southeast returns back to the home court Friday, Oct. 24 against Tennessee State at 6:30 p.m. It is also Halloween at Houck. Trick or Treating begins at 5:30 and all kids 14 and under are encouraged to wear costumes for a costume contest.