Redhawks Sweep UT Martin, 3-0, Saturday to Secure Series Split - Southeast Missouri State University Athletics

Saturday, October 1

Martin, Tenn.

11 a.m.

Southeast Missouri State University

8-8,3-1OVC

UT Martin

10-8,4-1OVC

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Southeast Missouri	26	25	25	3
UT Martin	24	19	21	0

Final Statistics (PDF)

Photo by: Alex Boggis, UTM Media Relations

10/1/2022 2:25:00 PM | Volleyball, Volleyball, Volleyball

Box Score Final Statistics (PDF)

MARTIN, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (8-8, 3-1 OVC) wrapped its first Ohio Valley Conference road series of the season with a 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-21) sweep of UT Martin (10-8, 4-1 OVC) Saturday at the Skyhawk Fieldhouse.

With the victory, SEMO split the regular-season series with UTM and handed the Skyhawks their first loss in league matches.

Zoey Beasley led the offense with 13 kills on a .375 rate. Kayla Closset added 12 kills and eight digs.

The Skyhawks opened the match with a 4-1 lead that grew to 6-2.

SEMO cut the margin to 8-6 after a kill from Colby Greene.

A kill from Ramiri Gardner coupled with a Skyhawk attack error provided a slight 16-15 edge.

Beasley then registered a rally stopper followed by a UTM miscue to keep the lead in favor of SEMO, 20-18.

Gardner and Greene combined for a block assist to bring on set point at 24-22.

The Skyhawks fended off set point twice before the Redhawks utilized extra innings to take a 1-0 lead in the match. Closset and Kaelyn O'Brien registered consecutive kills to claim the frame.

Closset paced the Redhawks in the opening set with four kills on a clip of .333. O'Brien and Greene each added three in the period.

SEMO hit a match-high .268 in the first set and completed the match with .248. UTM in comparison posted a .159 and finished with .138 Saturday.

The Skyhawks then took the first three points in the second stanza before increasing their edge to 6-2.

A 4-0 Redhawks rally then evened the set at 7-7.

Consecutive kills from Gardner and Mackenzie Meehan made the SEMO lead 15-13.

Closset and Greene combined for back-to-back kills after a block assist by Meehan and Greene to extend the advantage to 19-15.

SEMO then closed the set (25-19) on a 6-2 run to increase the Redhawks lead in the match to 2-0. O'Brien compiled consecutive winners after a Greene kill to make the score 23-18. Izzy Lukens then registered a setter kill from libero Tara Beilsmith followed by a Beasley rally stopper to wrap the stanza.

Beasley paced the Redhawks in set #2 with four kills on a .273 rate while Closset added three. SEMO as a team had a hitting percentage of .267 during the second set.

Closset continued the intensity and tallied back-to-back kills before a UTM error for a slight 9-6 lead in the third set.

Consecutive rally stoppers from Beasley and Closset pushed the lead to 16-13 and prompted a Skyhawks timeout.

UTM used a 5-1 swing to take a 20-19 edge.

The Redhawks then secured the match on a 6-1 run, 25-21. Beasley slammed a pair of kills after a UTM error to capture the victory.

Gardner posted six kills with five blocks and three digs (PR) on a .267 Saturday. Greene added five kills and four blocks, hitting .294.

Meehan finished with four kills (.375) and four blocks.

Lukens dished out 21 assists with six digs and a kill.

O'Brien compiled her sixth double-double of the season with 14 assists, 11 digs, six kills and four blocks.

Beilsmith grabbed 25 digs with four assists and an ace.

SEMO out blocked the Skyhawks, 10-6, and led every statistical category besides aces Saturday.

Karen Scanlon paced UTM with 10 kills and 11 digs. Angel Baylark finished with eight kills.

Haeleigh Paulino totaled 17 assists and six digs. Dylan Mott led the Skyhawk defense with 15 digs and five assists.

SEMO next returns to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for a three-match week. The Redhawks host Eastern Illinois Oct. 7-8 before the home-and-home series opener with travel partner and OVC newcomer Little Rock on Monday, Oct. 10.