Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
 
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Southeast Missouri volleyball team split at day two of the ISTAP Collegiate Cup 2. The Redhawks swept Savannah State but fell to Southern Mississippi in the nightcap in five sets.
 
Southeast Missouri finishes 3-1 on the weekend and are 4-7 on the season.
 
"Overall, I'm happy that we are returning with three more wins and hope we can carry that on next week as we take on two more tough non-conference opponents," said head coach Julie Yankus.
 
Southeast Missouri 3, Savannah State 0
The Redhawks recorded their third sweep in a row of the tournament, this time against the Savannah State Tigers (25-9, 25-21, 25-7).
 
An 8-0 run early in the first set helped give the Redhawks a solid lead on the Tigers, 10-2. The Redhawks only widened the lead more as the set continued. For the second time in the tournament, Southeast held their opponent to single digits with a 25-9 opening set victory. Kelsey Keeve totaled five kills in the set as Taylor Masterson contributed four. The Redhawks hit .367 while the Tigers hit -.062. Southeast also had four service aces, three belonging to Krissa Gearring.
 
Savannah State found their first lead of the match early in the second set. Southeast wasn't down for long as they pulled ahead and were able to hold on to a slim lead en route to a 25-21 set two win.  Andrea Baylin was the driving force behind the offense in set two with six kills.
 
Much like the first set, Southeast held the Tigers to single digits in their 25-7 set three victory, earning their third sweep in a row on the weekend.
 
Baylin finished with nine kills. Gearring had seven while hitting .438 with six total service aces. Nzingha Clarke and Masterson each had six kills.
 
As a whole, the Redhawks hit .371 in the match with 43 kills. Southeast also put down an impressive 12 service aces while tallying significantly more digs than the Tigers, 43-29.
 
Southeast Missouri 2, Southern Mississippi 3
The Redhawks saw their first non-three set match of the weekend against Southern Mississippi as they fell in five sets to the Golden Eagles (16-25, 26-24, 12-25, 27-25, 10-15).
 
It was all Southern Miss in the first set. The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead and used it to cruise to a 25-16 set one victory. The Redhawks just couldn't stop a Golden Eagle offense that hit .367 in the set.
 
The second set was significantly closer. The score was tied 18 times in the second stanza. Neither team had more than a three-point lead at any time. Tied at 24, the Redhawks were able to put up the final two points and take the set, 26-24, tying up the match at a set apiece.
 
Southern Miss used an 8-0 run to open a commanding lead on Southeast in the third set. The Redhawk offense struggled in the set as they committed 10 errors and hit -.083.
 
Likewise to set two, the Redhawks won a close fourth set to tie up the match at two sets each. The score was tied 14 times and the lead changed seven times. The Golden Eagles tallied 19 kills but also committed nine errors.
 
The Golden Eagles won the fifth set 15-10 and took the match away from Southeast.
 
Baylin recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs. Gearring also had 10 kills in the match.
 
The Redhawks' blocking game was back in action Friday evening with 12.0 total team blocks. Keeve and Masterson each had six blocks with Nzingha Clarke contributing five.
 
Yankus added, "We struggled to terminate tonight and that really determined the outcome of this match. We did a good job of blocking but it wasn't enough to get the match to go our way."
 
Southeast Missouri will travel to Kansas City, Missouri Wednesday for a matchup with in-state rival UMKC.