NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (7-15, 2-6) dropped a 3-0 decision (18-25, 10-25, 21-25) to Belmont (11-9, 6-2) Saturday afternoon at the Curb Event Center to split their weekend set in the Music City.
 
The Redhawks swept Tennessee State on Friday night before Saturday's loss to the Bruins who were pegged to finish the 2017 season first in the Ohio Valley Conference.
 
Nzingha Clarke led the Redhawks offense with three kills on a .429 hitting clip. Haley Bilbruck and Marie Less also each had three kills in the match.
 
Setter Allie Henkelman tallied seven assists along with seven digs. Libero Ally Dion added seven digs and Mikayla Kuhlmann chipped in five.
 
Southeast lost the opening set, 18-25. A Kuhlmann kill cut the Belmont lead to 22-17 before Brie Lewis recorded the set-winning kill to take the first frame.
 
The Bruins continued their momentum and took the second stanza, 25-10, while hitting a match-high .452.
 
In the third and final set, SEMO went on a 6-0 run to take a 7-6 edge. Maggie Adams and Bilbruck combined for a block; Bilbruck added a kill and Emily Boggetto recorded her career-high three service aces in the rally.
 
The Redhawks and Belmont then exchanged the lead before a Less kill along with back-to-back Bruins attack errors brought the score line to 20-19 in favor of SEMO.
 
Belmont then went on a 5-0 run to grow the Bruins lead to 24-20. Madeline Grimm hit a kill to cut the lead to 21-24 before Alexa Nichols hit the set-winning kill.
 
Southeast led the match in service aces with five and blocks with four. Clarke, Bilbruck, Madara Bajare and Adams each had two block assists.
 
The Redhawks return home for three-straight matches at Houck Field House. Southeast faces Morehead State on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. for the 2017 Pink Up Game. SEMO concludes the weekend home set on Saturday against Eastern Kentucky at 2 p.m.