MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (8-6) handed Memphis (11-1) of the American Athletic Conference its first loss in 2019 to capture the Beale Street Challenge Saturday at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Southeast bested the tournament host Tigers in four sets, 25-21, 25-27, 25-18, 25-13, for SEMO's first victory over Memphis in Memphis since Aug. 29, 2009.
With the win, the Redhawks concluded non-conference play with a pair of tournament championships, a four-match win streak and an 8-6 mark. SEMO last won two tournaments in 2012 when the team registered a 21-13 record.
"I am so proud of this team's resilience this week," head coach
Julie Yankus said. "The fact that we went 4-0 this week after going 0-4 the previous week shows the heart and determination of this team. We have continued to work on handling adversity and we responded this week. Teams that can do that are on the path to do great things."
Claire Ochs was named the tournament MVP for the second time this season. Ochs has now been selected to four all-tournament teams in her career at Southeast.
The sophomore from Chesterfield, Missouri, finished the Challenge with 118 assists after passing out 44 Saturday with 12 digs and five kills. In four matches this week, Ochs has tallied 40 plus assists in three and averaged 41 per match.
"Claire had another great tournament by leading our offense to be efficient and dominating," Yankus said of Ochs. "Her leadership and competitive drive continue to push this team to their potential."
Mikayla Kuhlmann and
Maggie Adams were both named to their first career all-tournament teams.
Kuhlmann led the Redhawks this weekend in Memphis with 34 total kills including 13 (.280) Saturday. She concluded the week with 51 total kills and compiled 17 in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, on Tuesday.
"We had a lot of key performers this week," Yankus said after the match Saturday. "Mikayla has completely stepped up and had an amazing week. I attribute her performance to the fact that she is always prepared and willing to do what it takes to help this team."
Adams posted a career high nine kills on a .429 hitting clip Saturday while finishing the tournament with 21 kills and six total blocks.
"Maggie probably had the best tournament of her career this weekend," Yankus said of Adams. "She found ways to score and frustrated opponents with her blocking. She works hard every single point."
Southeast benefited from a really balanced attack Saturday as
Laney Malloy also smashed 13 kills with 15 digs,
Annie Wehrheim added 11 kills on a .333 and
Talia Gouard had a career best eight kills (.538).
The Redhawks connected at a .321 rate including .429 in the third set and .433 in the fourth and final frame.
Trailing the opening set, 13-11, SEMO pulled within a point, 16-15, on a block from Gouard and Wehrheim.
The Tigers grew their advantage to 19-15 after a kill from Sabria Cooper.
Malloy then knocked a kill before placing a service ace to knot the set at 20-20 and force a Memphis timeout. She matched a career high four service aces to complement her kill-dig double-double.
Out of the break, Gouard added two kills that sandwiched a Malloy rally stopper to pull ahead 23-20. Kuhlmann slammed a kill to bring on set point before a Tigers attack error concluded the frame in SEMO's favor, 25-21.
Memphis then knotted the match at 1-1 with a 27-25 second set win.
The third set was a back-and-forth affair with SEMO winning the race to 10 with a slight edge, 10-9, on a Wehrheim rally stopper.
Wehrheim chipped in consecutive kills to push the advantage to 20-16. Kuhlmann then tallied a kill before Malloy brought on set point, 24-18, with a winner.
Gouard and Wehrheim combined for the block to seal the third set for Southeast, 25-18.
The fourth set started like the previous frame with a fight from the start. Ochs posted a kill before a Gouard service ace gave the Redhawks a 10-6 lead early in the set.
Meredith Wallace then connected with consecutive kills before Adams and Wehrheim extended the margin, 12-8, with a pair of rally stoppers.
A 3-0 Redhawks run widened the gap to 18-11. The Tigers came as close as 19-13 on a kill from Jada Birkel.
Kuhlmann and Adams each recorded a pair of kills down the stretch to solidify the victory, 25-13.
Southeast outblocked Memphis 8-6 as Gouard paced the Redhawks with a career high six. Wehrheim chipped in a personal best five.
Tara Beilsmith led the SEMO defense with 18 digs.
Ally Dion added 15.
Dion had a service ace and now is second in Southeast program history (25-point rally scoring era from 2008 to present) with 88 career service aces.
Julie Shives totaled 87 career services from 2010 to 2013.
Southeast opens its 2019 Ohio Valley Conference schedule on Tuesday when they welcome UT Martin (4-10) to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for Houck "Filled" House at 6 p.m. Help us break the Houck Field House volleyball attendance record! The first 500 fans to enter the arena receive a Redhawks "Friends" themed T-Shirt.
