MOREHEAD, Ky. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (13-8, 5-3) captured the opening set but fell to Morehead State (16-5, 7-1), 3-1 (25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 13-25), Saturday afternoon at Wetherby Gym.
 
Annie Wehrheim and Laney Malloy each tallied a team high 10 kills and Haley Bilbruck added nine. Claire Ochs amassed 30 assists and 11 digs for her 10th straight double-double (13th of her career).
 
After Southeast took the first set, 25-21, the Eagles mounted a comeback of three unanswered sets.
 
Back-to-back kills by Malloy in the second set cut MSU's lead to a point, 8-7. The Eagles would then grow their advantage to 22-16 after a 5-0 run with three rally stoppers from Maddie Fella. SEMO would comes as close as 23-18 after a kill from Wehrheim before Morehead State won the set, 25-18.
 
After evening the match at 1-1, the Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the third frame before a kill from Malloy cut the edge to one, 5-4.
 
Southeast continued to chip away at the deficit with kills from Maggie Adams and Wehrheim (2) making the score, 12-10, in favor of MSU.
 
A 4-0 run by the Eagles extended the margin to 18-13 as a Bilbruck service ace brought the lead to three, 18-15.
 
Ochs opted for back-to-back kills as SEMO pulled within two points, 20-18, before three unanswered points from MSU made the score 23-18. Southeast would come as close as 24-21 with its final point of the set on a block assist from Bilbruck and Krista Berns before the Eagles took the set, 25-21.
 
Morehead State claimed the fourth set, 25-13, to earn the victory.
 
Ally Dion keyed the defense with 11 digs. Bilbruck added 10 and Madeline Grimm recorded eight.
 
Southeast returns home for a pair of matches at Houck Field House next week. SEMO hosts Belmont Friday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in its annual Pink Up Match. The Redhawks will wear special edition pink breast cancer awareness uniforms and fans are encouraged to wear pink. Southeast then takes on Tennessee State Saturday, Oct. 20 at 5 p.m. Both matches will feature post-match autographs.