CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (23-7, 14-4 OVC) secured a share of the 2021 Ohio Valley Conference Regular-Season title and the top seed in next week's 2021 OVC Championship Tournament with a 25-23, 25-15, 25-18 sweep of Morehead State (18-11, 14-4 OVC) Saturday afternoon on Senior Day at Houck Field House.
 
The Redhawks swept Morehead State in the final regular-season series to secure a share of SEMO's 10th OVC Regular-Season title in program history. The title is SEMO's first since 2007. The Redhawks will host the tournament for the fourth time and first time since 2000 next week.

The Redhawks earned the right to host the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament with the tiebreaker over the Eagles.
 
Top-seeded SEMO will face #8 Eastern Illinois in the First Round of the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament Thursday at 6 p.m., CT to close the first day of the tourney.
 
The Redhawks have registered 23 overall wins for the second time in three seasons. SEMO also matched its OVC win mark from the 2020-21 season with 14. 
 
Zoey Beasley led SEMO with 16 kills on a .316 hitting percentage. Laney Malloy added a double-double of 10 kills and 13 digs.
 
Colby Greene chipped in seven kills on a .375 clip.
 
SEMO utilized a 4-0 run to pull ahead early in the first set, 14-11. The Eagles responded with four straight points to go to the media timeout leading 15-14.
 
It marked the fourth-straight set of the series between the schools that featured the stoppage at that scoreline.
 
Beasley added a kill followed by a Kayla Closset ace to take an 18-17 edge.
 
Talia Gouard and Beasley then knocked consecutive rally stoppers to make it 22-21.
 
Irene Wogenstahl retied the set at 23-23 with a kill before the Redhawks took the opening set on an ace from Claire Ochs, 25-23.
 
The first set featured 16 ties and seven lead changes. Malloy and Beasley each had four kills in the initial frame.
 
The Redhawks extended their margin to 2-0 with a dominating 25-15 second stanza. SEMO hit a match-best .452 with 14 kills and zero errors.
 
Beasley slammed seven kills on a .700 hitting percentage in set #2.
 
SEMO took a 15-10 lead after a pair of kills by Beasley.
 
The Redhawks then utilized a 4-0 run to widen the gap to 21-13.
 
Malloy connected on a kill before a service ace by Tara Beilsmith. Greene and Gouard then combined for a block assist followed by a Eagles error.
 
SEMO added three more points to bring on set point with a 10-point advantage, 24-14. Greene and Closset had kills before and after an Ally Dion ace.
 
The Redhawks then went up 2-0 in the match after a Morehead State error, 25-15.
 
SEMO opened the third set with a 15-9 margin after kills by Beasley (2) and Ochs coupled with a MSU miscue.
 
Malloy and Greene then hit consecutive kills to widen the gap to 20-12.
 
Ochs added a setter's rally stopper before teaming up with Gouard for a block to bring on match point at 24-15.
 
The Eagles fended off match point three times before Gouard claimed the match with a kill, 25-18.
 
Ochs dished out 34 assists, eight digs, two blocks and an ace as SEMO finished with a .286 clip after a .308 third set.
 
Beilsmith grabbed 20 digs to accompany four assists and an ace. Dion tallied five digs.
 
SEMO led the aces category, 6-2, but blocks were tied at 6-6.
 
Gouard tallied four blocks and three kills.

SEMO recognized seniors Ally Dion, Laney Malloy, Elissa Moylan, Claire Ochs and Caroline Draver prior to Saturday's Senior Day match. All five seniors saw action with Dion, Malloy, Ochs and Moylan starting. Draver registered a great pancake dig off the bench. 
 
Abby Hulsman led MSU with 11 kills while Olivia Lohmeier and Maycie Welborn (.444) each had 10. Bridget Bessler finished with 36 assists and eight digs.
 
Allison Whitten grabbed 16 digs.
 
SEMO will next host the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament Thursday, Nov. 18 through Saturday, Nov. 20 at Houck Field House.
 
The Eagles are the No. 2 seed while Austin Peay is the No. 3 seed. UT Martin will be the fourth-seed followed by Murray State to round out the top five. Tennessee Tech is the sixth seed followed by Belmont and Eastern Illinois.  The entire tournament will be available on ESPN+.

Top-seeded SEMO will face #8 Eastern Illinois in the First Round of the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament Thursday at 6 p.m., CT to close the first day of the tourney.