SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Laney Malloy and Annie Wehrheim combined for 32 kills as Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (0-1) were edged out by the BIG EAST's DePaul (2-0) in five sets, 26-24, 20-25, 17-25, 25-21, 13-15, Friday in their season opener at the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational held at the Hammons Student Center.
 
Malloy paced the Redhawks with 17 kills including three in the fifth set to complement 12 digs for a double-double performance. She also had four service aces. Wehrheim, a 2019 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference honoree, chipped in 15 with two in the final set.
 
After capturing the first set, Southeast rallied from a 2-1 deficit with a fourth frame victory to force the decisive fifth set. 
 
The Blue Demons started with three straight and grew their advantage to 5-1 with a kill from Bailey Nelson in the fifth set. Malloy notched a winner to cut the lead to 9-5 before Mikayla Kuhlmann's kill made the score, 11-9. 
 
A block from Talia Gouard coupled with another kill from Malloy knotted the contest at 12-12. In her Redhawks debut, Gouard finished with five total blocks as SEMO out blocked DePaul, 14-6. 
 
Wehrheim then blasted a kill to tie the match at 13-13 before the Blue Demons grabbed the win with a kill by Brittany Maxwell and a block from Elana Brueggemann and Donna Brown. 
 
SEMO hit a match best .312 in the final set.
 
Southeast jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match with a 26-24 first set. Trailing, 6-1, the Redhawks went on 5-0 run to pull ahead 8-7 with kills from Colby Greene, Malloy (2), Krista Berns along with a block assist from Berns and Malloy. 
 
DePaul retied the first set, 9-9, on a kill from Emma Price before SEMO rallied off nine straight points punctuated by a Berns service ace. With an 18-9 advantage, the Blue Demons clawed within a point, 21-20, to prompt Southeast's second timeout. 
 
Out of the break, DePaul tied the set at 21-21 before pulling ahead 24-22. Facing set point, the Redhawks compiled four straight points to earn the set win. 
 
The Blue Demons then took a 2-1 advantage with 25-20, 25-17 second and third sets. 
 
Facing a 2-1 hole, SEMO forced a fifth set with a 25-21 decision in the fourth. Tied at 8-8 in the set, Southeast pulled away with two kills from Kuhlmann, 14-9. 
 
Up a point, the Redhawks made the margin 21-17 with a kill and ace from Malloy along with a Berns block. The Blue Demons came within a point before SEMO closed out the set with three straight points. 
 
Greene competed in her first match in a Redhawk uniform, finishing with six kills, a block and a dig. 
 
Berns led the team with eight blocks.
 
Ochs dished out 41 assists and had a double-double with 12 digs
 
Ally Dion paced the Redhawks with 13 digs. Beilsmith added 10 in her first collegiate match. 
 
Southeast plays in two matches Saturday to close out the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational at the Hammons Student Center. The Redhawks face Jacksonville at 10:30 a.m. to start the day and then take on tournament host, Missouri State, at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.