Discover Kalamazoo Classic
 
Match #3
Southeast Missouri (3-0)
at Western Michigan (2-1)
Match Information
Date: Friday, Sept. 3, 2021
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Venue: University Arena
First Serve: 10 a.m., CT
All-Time Series: Western Michigan leads SEMO, 2-0
Last Meeting: 3-0 WMU Win | Sept. 13, 2019 | Panther Invitational | Milwaukee, Wisc. 
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: Western Michigan
 
Match #4
Southeast Missouri (3-0)
vs. Purdue Fort Wayne (0-3)
Match Information
Date: Friday, Sept. 3, 2021
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Venue: University Arena
First Serve: 3:30 p.m., CT 
All-Time Series: First Meeting in Program History
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: Western Michigan

Match #5
Southeast Missouri (3-0)
vs. Indiana (3-0)
Match Information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Venue: University Arena
First Serve: 3:30 p.m., CT
All-Time Series: Indiana leads SEMO, 3-0
Last Meeting: Indiana 3-0 Win | Sept. 6, 2014 | Bloomington, Ind. 
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: Western Michigan
 
Media Coverage
Twitter: @SEMOvb
Media Guide: Southeast Missouri
Pronunciation Guide: Southeast Missouri
 
Redhawks Continue 2021 Season this Weekend at Western Michigan's Discover Kalamazoo Classic 
Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (3-0) treks to Michigan this weekend to compete at Western Michigan's Discover Kalamazoo Classic Friday and Saturday. SEMO opens the tournament against host, WMU, Friday at 10 a.m., CT at the University Arena and then takes on Purdue Fort Wayne in the afternoon at 3:30 p.m. The Redhawks close out the Classic Saturday with a tilt against the Big Ten's Indiana. First service of the tournament finale is set for 3:30 p.m., CT. 
 
Follow the Redhawks
• Stats will be available for Friday and Saturday's matches on SEMORedhawks.com
• Live video for all three matches will be streamed by Western Michigan 
• @SEMOvb, the official Twitter page of Redhawks volleyball, will feature live in-match updates all season long.
 
Scouting the Opponents
Broncos
Western Michigan is 2-1 in the early 2021 season with a season-opening loss at Michigan State (3-0, Aug.  27) and wins over Wright State (3-0, Aug. 28) and Canisius (3-0, Aug. 28). Junior outside hitter Maggie King and sophomore outside hitter Abi Wilcoxson were both named to the Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational All-Tournament Team. King finished the weekend with 3.67 kills per set (33 kills) and Wilcoxson had 3.0 (24 kills). King also had 3.0 digs per set. Sophomore Logan Case was named Mid-American Conference West Division Setter of the Week.
 
Case and King were both selected to the Preseason All-MAC West Division by the coaches of the Mid-American Conference. WMU was voted to finish third in the West behind Central Michigan and Ball State. WMU went 18-5 in 2020-21 (17-4 MAC) and were the MAC Championship tournament runners-up. 

Mastodons
Purdue Fort Wayne (0-3) went winless at its home Invitational with losses to SIUE (3-2, Aug. 27), Evansville (3-0, Aug. 28) and Kent State (3-2, Aug. 28). Rachael Crucis was named to the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational All-Tournament Team.
 
Purdue Fort Wayne women's volleyball team was slotted at fifth in the Horizon League's #HLVB Preseason Poll. The Mastodons return 2020-21 Horizon League Player of the Year Katie Crowe.

Hoosiers
Indiana is 3-0 in 2021 after capturing the Top Dawg Challenge tournament Championship this past weekend at Butler. The Hoosiers swept UIC (Aug. 27) and Butler (Aug. 28) and overcame Bowling Green (Aug. 28), the 2020-21 MAC Champions, in five.Kari Zumach and Kaley Rammelsberg were named to the Top Dawg Challenge All-Tournament Team.Rammelsberg led the Indiana attack with 27 kills on a hitting percentage of .511. Paula Cerame paces the defense with 44 digs for an average of 4.00 a set. 
 
Series History
Broncos
Western Michigan leads the all-time series with SEMO, 2-0. The Broncos last beat the Redhawks, 3-0, on Sept. 13, 2019 at the Panther Invitational in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Mastodons
Friday's matchup between SEMO and Purdue Fort Wayne marks the first-ever in program history.
 
Hoosiers
Indiana leads the all-time series against SEMO, 3-0. The Hoosiers swept the Redhawks, 3-0, on Sept. 6, 2014 in Bloomington, Indiana, in the most-recent meeting. 
 
CEFCU Invitational Champions
SEMO (3-0) captured Bradley's 2021 CEFCU Invitational Championship with victories over DePaul (Aug. 27, 3-1), tournament host, Bradley (Aug. 28, 3-1), and Central Michigan (3-0, Aug. 28) this past weekend at the Renaissance Coliseum. The Redhawks last started a season 3-0 in 2018 (5-0 to start the campaign). Laney Malloy, Claire Ochs and Tara Beilsmith were named to the 2021 CEFCU Invitational All-Tournament Team. Malloy was named the tournament MVP.
 
For Malloy, it was her fifth career all-tournament team and first MVP honor. Ochs was also named to her fifth career all-tournament team while it was Beilsmith's second laurel in her career at SEMO.
 
Malloy led the SEMO offense with 42 kills, 33 digs, 12 blocks and seven assists. Ochs dished out 123 assists with 46 digs, 12 kills, three blocks and two aces. Beilsmith compiled 84 digs with five assists and two aces. Ochs (3) and Malloy (2) combined for five double-doubles.
 
OVC Players of the Week
Junior libero Tara Beilsmith and senior setter Claire Ochs were named Ohio Valley Conference Players of the Week, the league announced Monday. Beilsmith was awarded Defensive Player of the Week while Ochs was tabbed Setter of the Week.
 
Beilsmith compiled 84 digs with five assists and two aces at the CEFCU Invitational.
 
The Weldon Spring, Missouri native, tallied 29 digs to open the 2021 season against DePaul on Aug. 27. She then notched 21 digs on Aug. 28 in the meeting with tournament host, Bradley. Beilsmith concluded the Invitational with a career-best 34 digs against Central Michigan (Aug. 28). She was perfect in serve-receive with no receiving errors at the tournament. The weekly honor marks the first for Beilsmith this season and fourth in her career.
 
Ochs dished out 123 assists with 46 digs, 12 kills, three blocks and two aces at the CEFCU Invitational. She posted double-doubles in all three matches. Ochs, a Chesterfield, Missouri, opened the tourney with 48 assists and 20 digs against DePaul (Aug. 27). In the match with Bradley (Aug. 28), Ochs had 44 assists and 12 digs. She closed out the weekend with 31 assists and 14 digs versus CMU (Aug. 28).Ochs nabbed her third career OVC weekly honor and second career OVC Setter of the Week award Monday.
 
Our Libero, Tara Beilsmith, Ladies and Gentlemen
Tara Beilsmith leads the country in 2021 with 84 digs, averaging 7.64 digs per set. 
 
She has accumulated 888 career digs as a Redhawk, which is tied for 11th with Laney Malloy in program history (25-point rally scoring era from 2008-present). 
 
Top-5 in the Nation
As a team, Southeast Missouri, ranks second in the nation with 23.45 digs per set (258 digs) in 2021. SEMO is also fifth in the country with 3.64 blocks per set (70 total blocks, 10 solo, 60 assists).
 
The Beas Knees
Junior outside hitter Zoey Beasley is second on the Redhawks with 40 kills (3.64 kills/set) in 2021. She opened the CEFCU Invitational with her first career double-double of 20 kills and 10 digs against DePaul in the season opener on Aug. 27. Beasley followed that up with nine kills and 12 digs versus Bradley (8/28) and 11 kills in the tournament finale with Central Michigan (8/28). She also posted consecutive four block matches to open the 2021 campaign against DePaul and Bradley.
 
Our Favorite Color Besides Red is Greene
Redshirt-junior rightside hitter Colby Greene is third on SEMO offensively with 30 kills (2.73 kills/set). Greene opened the 2021 campaign with 17 kills on a .245 clip against DePaul (8/27). She has also compiled 10.0 total blocks (0.91 blocks/set) this season. 
 
Taking Care of Liss-Ness
Senior middle blocker Elissa Moylan has started in all three of SEMO's matches in 2021 and proven to be quite a blocking threat. Moylan is second on the Redhawks this season with 17.0 total blocks (1.55 blocks/set). She has accumulated five or more in all three matches this season and has tallied a career-best six twice this season. Junior Talia Gouard leads SEMO with 18.0 total blocks (1.64 blocks/set) to complement 21 kills. 
 
Malloy Approaching 1,000 Club in Kills and Digs
Senior outside Laney Malloy is approaching the 1,000 club in kills and digs. Malloy is 27 kills from 1,000 in her career (964 at SEMO, nine at UIC). She ranks seventh in the SEMO record books (25-point rally scoring era from 2008-present).
 
For digs, Malloy has totaled 900 thus far in her career (888 career digs at SEMO, 12 at UIC).
 
Yankus Approaching 150 Wins at SEMO
With three wins this past weekend at Bradley's CEFCU Invitational Championship, head coach Julie Yankus (147 wins) is three wins away from 150 while at the helm of SEMO. 
 
Oh Captains, My Captains
Head coach Julie Yankus announced Aug. 26 SEMO's three captains for the 2021 season. Senior outside hitter Laney Malloy, senior setter Claire Ochs and junior libero Tara Beilsmith will lead this year's team. Malloy and Ochs have been Redhawks captains since the 2019 season. For Beilsmith, it is her first season as captain.

Missouri Baptist Exhibition Recap
SEMO opened its 2021 season with a 3-1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-18) exhibition victory over Missouri Baptist, the 2021 NAIA National Champions, on Aug. 12.  
 
SEMO Schedule
The Redhawks will play 30 regular-season matches along with an exhibition to start the season. The schedule features four non-conference tournaments including two in Cape and a full 18-match Ohio Valley Conference slate. The Redhawks will host 16 home contests (including an exhibition) in 2021.
  
The Redhawks take on Marshall in their regular-season home opener Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m. to open the SEMO Invitational.
 
SEMO opens OVC play Sept. 24-25 at Tennessee State in Nashville, Tennessee.
 
2020-21 Season Recap
The Redhawks finished with a 14-3 overall record in 2020-21. SEMO posted a 14-2 record in OVC play for third in the league and the no. 3 seed at the 2020-21 OVC Championship Tournament.
 
After dropping their opening weekend at Jacksonville State, SEMO went on a 14-match win streak with seven series victories. SEMO's 14 league wins in 2020-21 are the most in the past 13 seasons as the 2007 SEMO team finished with a mark of 15-5
 
The Redhawks' OVC winning percentage of .875 was the highest since 2000, when SEMO was perfect in league play, 16-0 (1.000). SEMO last finished an OVC slate with a record of 14-2 in 1995.
  
Team Makeup
The Redhawks return 15 letterwinners and all but one starter from the 2020-21 squad. Defensive specialist Ally Dion and All-OVC outside hitter, Laney Malloy, both return for their fifth-year senior seasons along with true seniors, All-OVC setter, Claire Ochs, Elissa Moylan and Caroline Draver.
 
Other top returners include juniors Tara Beilsmith (starting libero, 2019 All-OVC player), Talia Gouard (starting middle blocker), Colby Greene (starting right side) and Zoey Beasley (starting outside hitter).
 
Malloy led the Redhawks offensively in the spring with 226 kills (3.83 kills per set) for 2020-21 All-OVC First-Team honors. Greene was second on SEMO with 155 kills (2.63 kills/set) and Beasley ranked third on the squad with 153 (2.78 kills/set). Gouard was fourth with 99 kills (1.68 kills/set).
 
Dion was fourth in the OVC for service aces with 23 (0.39 aces per set). She was also ninth in the conference with 216 total digs (team-high). Malloy was second on the team with 186 digs followed by Beilsmith (163) and Ochs (155).
 
Ochs was third in the OVC for assists with 608 (10.31 assists/set) for 2020-21 All-OVC First-Team and All-Tournament Team laurels.
 
The 2021 roster features 10 upperclassmen and two newcomers in freshmen Megan Harris (defensive specialist/libero) and Avery Torrey (rightside hitter).
 
The team also includes nine OVC Tournament Champions from the 2019 season.
 
Academic Excellence
Colby Greene, Izzy Lukens, Addy McAleer and Elissa Moylan earned perfect 4.0 GPAs during the 2020-21 academic year and were named Ohio Valley Conference Academic Medals of Honor recipients.
 
SEMO volleyball also had 13 student-athletes listed on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2020-21 academic year. Maggie Adams, Zoey Beasley, Tara Beilsmith, Kayla Closset, Caroline Draver, Talia Gouard, Colby Greene, Izzy Lukens, Laney Malloy, Addy McAleer, Elissa Moylan, Claire Ochs and Kylie Plant all notched at least a 3.25 grade point average in 2020-21.
 
Looking Ahead
After this weekend's Discover Kalamazoo Classic, the Redhawks will return to Cape Girardeau to host their SEMO Invitational Sept. 10-11. SEMO takes on Marshall in its home opener Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m., CT at Houck Field House.