Southeast Missouri (0-0) at Marcia E. Hamilton Classic
Match Information
Tournament: Marcia E. Hamilton Classic
Host: Saint Louis University
Opponents: Memphis, Alabama, Saint Louis, Northern Iowa
Venue: Chaifetz Arena
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
When: Friday, Aug. 29 - Saturday, Aug. 30
Live Stats: SLUBillikens.com
Twitter Updates: @SEMOvb
 
Complete Southeast Missouri Match Notes
 
Open Season
The Southeast Missouri volleyball team will open the 2014 season at the Marcia E. Hamilton Classic in St. Louis, Missouri Friday. The Saint Louis University Billikens are hosting the five-team tournament beginning Friday, Aug. 29 and ending Saturday, Aug. 30. The tournament will be played at Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University. Southeast will go head-to-head with Memphis, Alabama, Saint Louis, and Northern Iowa.
 
Fresh Faces
The 2014 volleyball squad features a total of 15 student-athletes. Of the 15, 11 are in their first two years with the program. The Redhawks also welcome six freshmen to the program. Of the projected starting lineup, four of the seven fit in the 11 who are in their first two years.
 
2014 OVC Preseason Poll
Southeast Missouri was picked seventh in the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, as voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors. The Redhawks finished fourth in the league in 2013 and lost a number of valuable players to graduation at the end of the season. Morehead State, the reigning regular-season and tournament champs, were picked to win the league.
 
Goodbye East and West
The OVC will no longer recognize the East and West Divisions for conference ranking purposes in volleyball. The league will return to the 12-overall teams format. Southeast won the West Division in 2012, the first year for divisional play.
 
Preseason All-OVC
Taylor Masterson was named to the Preseason All-OVC team. The junior middle blocker led the league in blocking a season ago. Masterson recorded a total of 139 blocks (49 solo, 90 assisted) for an average of 1.09 blocks per set. Aside from blocking, Masterson recorded the third-best attack percentage on the team with a .254 hitting clip while registering 219 kills (1.71 kills/set) on the season.
 
Last Year at This Time
The Redhawks kicked off the 2013 campaign at the Maroon Classic hosted by Mississippi State. Southeast won the tournament going 2-1 with wins over Mississippi State and UALR.
 
Playing a Wall
The Redhawks led the OVC last season in blocking with 2.39 blocks/set; 0.31 more than EIU. That is more than a block/set more than their opponents, who averaged 1.37. Taylor Masterson was the top-blocker in the league as she tallied 139 total blocks and averaged over a block (1.09) per set. Kelsey Keeve is the second best returning blocker as she averaged 0.70 blocks on the rightside.
 
Not a Queen, but an Ace
Sophomore Libero Jade Mortimer was among the best servers in the league a season ago as she recorded 34 service aces and averaged 0.30 per set.
 
You Look Familiar
Taylor Masterson will face her former team when the Redhawks play Alabama on Friday. Masterson redshirted her freshman season for the Crimson Tide.
 
Records Against
Alabama - 1-0
Southeast defeated Alabama on Sept. 6, 1996 in three sets. Southeast took a match against SEC opponent Mississippi State last season.
Memphis - 4-11
The Redhawks last played the Tigers in 2001. Memphis took the match 3-1.
Saint Louis - 16-22
The Redhawks trail the all-time series 16-22 against SLU. Last season, Southeast defeated the Billikens at home in five sets.
Northern Iowa - 1-1
The last meeting between Southeast Missouri and NIU was Sept. 10, 2005. NIU took the match in three sets.
 
A Glance at 2013
The Redhawks finished 2013 with a 17-16 overall record and finished fourth in the OVC with a 9-7 record. The Redhawks lost four seniors to graduation who all rewrote the Southeast Missouri record books during their time at Southeast. The Redhawks garnered four OVC Players of the Week including Andrea Baylin, who was named Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7.
 
Setting Up
The Redhawks will head to Bloomington, Indiana to participate in the Indiana Invitational Sept. 5-6. The Redhawks are slated to take on Mississippi State, Indiana, and Miami (Ohio).