CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball competed in its Redhawks scrimmage, a full team intrasquad Saturday afternoon at Houck Field House. The scrimmage served as a final tune up before the season opener on Aug. 30.
 
Head coach Julie Yankus coached the red team while assistant coach Loni Kreun was at the helm of the black team.
 
"Today's scrimmage came down to the serve and pass game," Yankus said after the contest. "The red team did a great job serving aggressive and forcing the black team to struggle with their first contact. By forcing the black team to be one dimensional, the red team was able to set up their block early and put a lot of pressure on the black team's attackers. Both teams played very scrappy defense and challenged all of the attackers to be aggressive and smart with their swings."
 
Kendall Washington, Laney Malloy, Talia Gouard, Krista Berns, Zoey Beasley, Claire Ochs, Emily Boggetto and Colby Greene made up the victorious red team.
 
Kreun's black team featured Annie Wehrheim, Maggie Adams, Kylie Plant, Ally Dion, Elissa Moylan, Mikayla Kuhlmann, Tara Beilsmith and Caroline Draver.
 
The red team edged the black team in three sets, 25-15, 25-14, 25-15.
 
Greene paced the red team with a match-high 11 kill outing while Malloy added nine with 12 digs and Gouard tallied eight kills.
 
"Colby, Talia and Laney had great offensive performances," Yankus said of the trio. "Since the red team got production from attackers in all three positions, they were able to terminate efficiently. Colby tooled the block very well, Laney had some great swings to the deep corners, and Talia was up in transition quickly so she could beat the block."
 
Berns had six kills to complement her five service aces and four blocks.
 
Ochs dished out 26 assists with 11 digs.
 
Draver, Wehrheim and Adams each had three kills on the black side.
 
Dion showcased her versatility as she played setter on the black team. She finished with a double-double of 13 assists with 16 digs and two aces.
 
"Ally has continued to step up for the team playing any role we ask of her," Yankus said of Dion who usually is a defensive specialist. "She has had to take on a setting role for the team and is doing a great job taking on a role that she does not normally train for. She also did an awesome job defensively for the black team today leading her team in digs."
 
Boggetto had nine digs and Beilsmith finished with seven.
 
The teams were even on the net with seven blocks apiece.
 
The Redhawks open their 2019 campaign on Friday, Aug. 30 against DePaul at Missouri State's Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational. Southeast meets Jacksonville and MSU in the second day of competition on Aug. 31.
 
SEMO then hosts Jackson State, Western Illinois and Evansville at the Redhawks Invitational Sept. 6-7 to open its home slate at Houck Field House.