Match #13
Southeast Missouri (5-7, 0-0 OVC)
vs. Tennessee State (6-8, 0-1 OVC)
Match Information
Date: Friday, Sept. 23, 2022
First Serve: 6 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.   
Venue: Houck Field House      
All-Time Series: SEMO leads TSU, 44-9 (1-1 in 2021)
Last Meetings: 3-1 TSU Win | Sept. 25, 2021 | Kean Hall | Nashville, Tenn.
3-2 SEMO Win | Sept. 24, 2021 | Kean Hall | Nashville, Tenn.
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: ESPN+
 
Match #14
Southeast Missouri (5-7, 0-0 OVC) 
vs. Tennessee State (6-8, 0-1 OVC)
Match Information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022
First Serve: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Cape Girardeau, Mo.   
Venue: Houck Field House      
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Live Video: ESPN+
 
Media Coverage
Twitter: @SEMOvb
Match Notes: Southeast Missouri
 
Redhawks Host Tennessee State in OVC-Opening Series Friday and Saturday at Houck Field House
Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (5-7, 0-0 OVC) welcomes Tennessee State (6-8, 0-1 OVC) to Cape Girardeau this weekend to commence Ohio Valley Conference play. Matches are set for 6 p.m., CT Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday in the weekend series at Houck Field House. 
 
SEMO Students will receive a Free Croc Charm as supplies last Friday. Saturday, fans receive free admission with a SEMO Football BLACK OUT ticket.

Follow the Redhawks
• Stats will be available for Friday and Saturday's matches on SEMORedhawks.com
• Both matches against Tennessee State this weekend will be streamed on ESPN+
• @SEMOvb, the official Twitter page of Redhawks volleyball, will feature live in-game updates all season long.
 
Promotions
• Friday is Croc Night at Houck Field House
- Wear your Crocs for discounted admission.
- SEMO Students will receive a Free Croc Charm as supplies last.
- SEMO Students receive free admission to all regular season home Redhawks sporting events for all 15 NCAA Division I intercollegiate programs including volleyball.
• Bring your SEMO Football BLACK OUT ticket to Saturday's match for free admission
 
Scouting the Opponent
The Tigers posted a 6-7 non-conference mark and entered OVC action on a four-match win streak after victories over Belmont, Bethune-Cookman, Alcorn State, and North Alabama. 
 
Libero Gina Rivera-Ortiz was named the OVC Defensive Player of the Week as she led the Tigers at their home tournament. She especially came up big in the upset victory over North Alabama with a match high 29. For the tournament, she only had two receiving errors. 
 
Setter Login Williams earned OVC Setter of the Week as she paced the team with assists. In the straight-set victory over Belmont, she notched a previous season high of 39 assists. It was the first time TSU had defeated Belmont since 2019. In the upset victory over North Alabama, she eclipsed her season high again, this time she had 48 assists. Williams also made three crucial kills and had four blocks which are both season highs.
 
Johanna Alcantara was also tabbed OVC Newcomer of the Week. She was especially clutch in the final two matches in the Tiger invitational where she had a .529 hitting percentage against Alcorn State and 22 kills in the upset victory over North Alabama. 
 
TSU fell to UTM, 3-1, on Tuesday in its official league opener. The Tiger offense was paced by Celestial Miller, who finished with 14 kills on the day. Johanna Alcantara added 12 and Kennedy Davis chipped in with 10 as part of balanced Tennessee State attack. Rivera-Ortiz chipped in 25 digs, along with six blocks from Gabrielle Johnson to lead them defensively.

Series History
SEMO leads the all-time series with Tennessee State, 44-9. The two teams split the series, 1-1, in 2021 as both matches were held at Kean Hall in Nashville, Tennessee. 
 
The Redhawks grabbed the 2021 opener in five sets on Sept. 24 before falling in four sets on Sept. 25. 
 
Tara Beilsmith led the SEMO defense with 39 digs (4.33 digs/set) in its 2021 series against Tennessee State. She tallied 19 digs in the series opener before finishing the weekend with 20 to go-along with three aces. Beilsmith also totaled four assists and three aces over the two matches.
 
Claire Ochs led the Redhawks with 79 assists (8.78 assists/set) in their 2021 OVC series against Tennessee State. She passed out 47 assists with 13 digs in the opener before concluding the weekend with 32 assists and 10 digs. Ochs also finished the week with 23 digs, five kills, an ace and four blocks.
 
Laney Malloy led the Redhawks in SEMO's OVC opening series at Tennessee State with 35 kills (3.89 kills/set) and 32 digs (3.56 digs/set) for OVC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Malloy notched 19 kills and 20 digs with two assists in the 2021 OVC opener. She then concluded the weekend with 16 kills and 12 digs in the series finale on Sept. 25.
 
2022 Saluki Invitational Recap
SEMO wrapped up its non-conference slate and the 2022 Saluki Invitational with a 3-0 sweep of Alabama A&M Sept. 17 at the Banterra Center. The Redhawks notched a season-high 13 service aces against the Bulldogs.
 
The Redhawks posted a 1-2 mark over the two-day tournament, falling to Bellarmine and Southern Illinois in the opening day. 
 
Zoey Beasley was named to the Saluki Invitational All-Tournament Team after she registered a team-high 36 kills (3.27 kills/set) to go along with nine digs (0.82 digs/set) and six blocks (0.55 blocks/set) over the two-day Invitational (Sept. 16-17). The all-tournament team honor was the second in Beasley's career as a Redhawk. She opened the tournament with 18 kills and four digs on a .410 clip against Bellarmine (Sept. 16). Beasley followed up that performance with 12 kills and five digs versus host Southern Illinois (Sept. 16). She closed the tournament with six kills against Alabama A&M (Sept. 17).
 
Tara Beilsmith led the SEMO defense with 47 digs (4.27 digs/set) and 14 assists (1.27 assists/set) over the two-day Saluki Invitational (Sept. 16-17). She grabbed 14 digs and five assists against Bellarmine (Sept. 16) in the tournament opener. Beilsmith added 29 digs with seven assists at SIU (Sept. 16) before posting four aces, four digs, and two assists in SEMO's 3-0 sweep of Alabama A&M (Sept. 17).
 
Izzy Lukens led the Redhawks with 56 assists (5.09 assists/set) and 13 digs over the two-day Saluki Invitational (Sept. 16-17). Lukens registered 20 assists with seven digs and three aces against Bellarmine (Sept. 16) in the tournament opener. She then added 23 assists and six digs with three aces at SIU (Sept. 17). Lukens then dished out 13 assists in SEMO's 3-0 sweep of Alabama A&M (Sept. 17).
 
Kaelyn O'Brien totaled 37 assists (3.36 assists/set), 24 digs (2.18 digs/set) and 17 kills (1.55 kills/set) over the two-day Saluki Invitational (Sept. 16-17). O'Brien opened the tournament with 16 assists and seven digs against Bellarmine (Sept. 16). She then added a double-double of 11 kills and 12 digs, just missing the triple-double with nine assists at SIU (Sept. 16). O'Brien posted 12 assists, five kills, and five digs in SEMO's 3-0 sweep of Alabama A&M (Sept. 17).
 
Sister, Sister
The sister duo of Zoey and Taylor Beasley accounted for the first five points of the third set of SEMO's match against Alabama A&M on Sept. 17. Taylor, a junior outside hitter, had a kill and three consecutive aces while Zoey, a senior outside hitter, added a rally stopper during the sequence. 
 
Taylor Beasley, a transfer from Murray State, had a career best four service aces with two digs and a kill, in her third career match as a Redhawk. 
 
Zoey Beasley notched six kills with three blocks against Alabama A&M en route to Saluki Invitational All-Tournament Team honors. 
 
Zoey and Taylor Beasley are Paragould, Arkansas, natives, and the 2022 season marks the first time as collegiate student-athletes, that they are teammates. 

Non-Conference Recap 
SEMO fashioned a 5-7 mark during the non-conference portion of its schedule. The Redhawks won a pair of matches (2-1) at their home SEMO Invitational to open the campaign before going 1-2 the next three weeks to wrap non-conference tournament play.
 
Tara Beilsmith was named OVC Defensive Player of the Week three-straight weeks to open the season and earned all-tournament honors twice. Colby Greene and Zoey Beasley also were selected to all-tournament teams. 
 
Beilsmith paces the defense with 258 digs (5.61 digs/set) to go with 59 assists (1.28 assists/set).
 
Greene leads the offense with 134 kills (2.98 kills/set) and 150 total points (3.33 points per set). Beasley has chipped in 130 kills (2.83 kills/set) with 145.5 points (3.16 points per set).
 
Izzy Lukens leads the setter corps with 249 assists (5.41 assists/set) followed by Kaelyn O'Brien (117 assists, 3.77 assists/set) and Jenny Shook (44 assists, 2.93 assists/set).
 
Where We Rank
SEMO ranks first in the OVC for blocks (102.5, 2.23 blocks/set), digs per set (15.39, 571 total digs, second) and is second for team total attacks (1,647, 35.80 attacks/set, third). 
 
Tara Beilsmith is fifth in the nation (first in OVC) with 258 digs and sixth in the NCAA (first in OVC) with 5.61 digs per set.
 
Mackenzie Meehan is first in the league with 1.35 blocks/set (44 total blocks, third) while Colby Greene is third with 2.98 kills per set. Zoey Beasley ranks sixth in the OVC with 2.83 kills per set.
 
Redhawk Debuts
Newcomers Rachel Eddy, Jenny Shook, Ramiri Gardner, Kaelyn O'Brien along with redshirt freshman Avery Torrey all made their SEMO debuts at the SEMO Invitational (Aug. 26-27). 
 
Taylor Beasley and Kalia Morris both made their Redhawk debuts at the Redbird Classic (Sept. 2-3). Taylor Beasley finished with two digs against Illinois State (Sept. 3). Morris added eight digs and two assists over the three matches. 
 
Eddy posted a service ace against Jackson State (Aug. 27).
 
Shook, a freshman setter from Plainfield, Illinois, compiled 16 assists and eight digs to go with an ace against Jackson State (Aug. 27). Gardner posted a kill against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Aug. 26).
 
Lexie Smith made her first three career starts, finishing with 20 kills (1.67 kills/set) and 10 blocks (0.83 blocks/set). She notched nine kills in the season opener with Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Aug. 26) before adding eight against North Dakota State (Aug. 26). She totaled five kills in each of the final two SEMO matches. 
 
O'Brien, a redshirt junior transfer setter from Virginia Commonwealth (VCU), registered 35 assists (4.38 assists/set) and 12 digs (0.13 digs/set) over two matches. In her SEMO debut, O'Brien posted 12 assists and six digs with four kills against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Aug. 26). O'Brien then added a career best 23 assists with six digs in the night cap against North Dakota State (Aug. 26).
 
Torrey compiled 14 kills over the weekend including five kills and six blocks versus NDSU (Aug. 26) and six kills against Jackson State (Aug. 27). She made her first two career starts against APB (Aug. 26) and NDSU (Aug. 26).
 
Oh Captains, My Captains
Head coach Julie Yankus announced Aug. 24, Zoey Beasley, Tara Beilsmith, Talia Gouard, and Colby Greene were selected as team captains for the 2022 season. For Beilsmith, the 2022 campaign marks her second straight as captain while this year is the first for Beasley, Gouard, and Greene in the leadership role. The group of four was voted captains for the season by their teammates. 
 
2022 OVC Preseason Poll
Three Redhawks were featured on the 2022 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Team and for the second straight-year SEMO was selected to finish second in the preseason poll, the league announced Aug. 17. Outside hitter Zoey Beasley, libero Tara Beilsmith, and rightside hitter Colby Greene were all selected to the 2022 Preseason All-OVC Team.
 
SEMO received seven first-place votes and 145 total points for second in the predicted order of finish selected by the OVC's Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors. Morehead State, the 2021 OVC Regular-Season Champions and Tournament runners-up, was picked to win the conference receiving nine first-place votes and 153 total points. 
 
SEMO tied Morehead State and UT Martin for the league-lead in players on the preseason OVC team with three. 
 
Beasley, a senior outside hitter from Paragould, Arkansas, was named to her first career OVC preseason team Wednesday. She was third in the league offensively with 3.88 kills per set (248 kills) and fourth with 4.20 points per set (269.0 points) en route to 2021 All-OVC First Team honors. Beasley also accumulated 39 digs (0.61 digs/set) and 34 blocks (0.53 blocks/set) in league action. She was awarded OVC Offensive Player of the Week three times in 2021 and was second on the Redhawks with 436 kills (3.43 kill/set) and 475.5 points (3.74 points/set). She was also fourth on the team with 62 total blocks (0.49 blocks/set). Beasley registered double-digit kills in 25 matches and had 20 or more kills four times. She posted a career high 25 kills on a .286 hitting percentage with four digs and four blocks in SEMO's five set victory over Austin Peay on Oct. 28.
 
Beilsmith, a senior libero from Weldon Spring, Missouri, was selected to her second career OVC preseason Team Wednesday after being featured on the 2020-21 list. She ranked third in the league last season with 323 digs (5.05 digs/set) to go with 71 assists and 12 aces in 2021 OVC competitions for her second career All-OVC Second Team laurels. Beilsmith led SEMO with a career best 660 digs (5.20 digs/set) which broke her own Southeast Missouri single-season record (25-point rally scoring era from 2008 to present). She was also second on the Redhawks in 2021 with 28 service aces (0.22 service aces/set) and 126 assists (0.99 assist/set). Beilsmith compiled double-digit dig outings in all but two matches in 2021 and registered 30 plus digs twice and 20 or more digs 17 times. She posted double-digit digs in 25 consecutive matches and grabbed a career high 39 digs with five assists in SEMO's non-conference victory over Memphis of the American Athletic Conference on Sept. 10. She was awarded OVC Defensive Player of the Week four times in 2021.
 
Greene, a rightside hitter graduate student from North Liberty, Iowa, rounds out the Redhawks on the 2022 Preseason All-OVC team, earning the distinction for the second-straight year. She totaled 158 kills (2.47 kills/set) on a .226 clip in conference play a year ago and was awarded 2021 All-OVC Tournament Team honors. Greene also had 30 blocks (0.47 blocks/set) and 22 digs (0.34 digs/set) in league competitions. Overall, she was third on the Redhawks with 326 kills (2.57 kills/set) and 363.0 points on a .234 hitting percentage in 2021. Greene also totaled 68 blocks (62 assists, six solo, 0.54 blocks/set, second on the team) and 53 digs (0.42 digs/set). She finished with double-digit kills 15 times in 2021 and registered a career best 23 kills on a .283 clip with three digs and a block for 23.5 points against UT Martin on Sept. 29.

SEMO Schedule
SEMO, the 2021 OVC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions, will play 30 regular-season matches in 2022. SEMO will compete in four non-conference tournaments before a full 18-match OVC slate. 
 
The Redhawks will host 12 home contests this season at Houck Field House and kicked off the 2022 campaign with the SEMO Invitational Aug. 26-27.
 
SEMO opens the league calendar with a home series against Tennessee State on Sept. 23-24 with matches set for 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. 
 
The 2022 OVC Championship Tournament will be contested Nov. 17-19 at the regular-season champion.
 
2021 OVC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions 
SEMO, the 2021 OVC Regular-Season and Tournament Champions, fashioned a 26-8 overall mark this past fall including a 14-4 record during league matches. The Redhawks 26 wins in 2021 are the highest win total since the 1999 season when Southeast Missouri notched a 28-6 overall mark.
 
The Redhawks won their second OVC Tournament Championship in three seasons and seventh in program history in 2021. SEMO also won both the regular-season title and the tournament title in the same season for the first time since 2000.
 
SEMO concluded its season with an NCAA Tournament Appearance at #7 Kentucky.
 
SEMO returns a trio of All-OVC starters in senior libero Tara Beilsmith (2019 and 2021 All-OVC Second Team), senior outside hitter Zoey Beasley (2021 All-OVC First Team) and graduate student rightside hitter Colby Greene (2021 All-OVC Tournament Team).
 
Head coach Julie Yankus, the 2021 OVC Coach of the Year, will lead the Redhawks in her 12th season at SEMO in 2022. 
  
Team Makeup
SEMO's 2022 roster consists of 16 student-athletes including 10 returners from the 2021 Championship team.
 
Other top returners besides SEMO's three All-OVC starters include senior and starting middle blocker Talia Gouard, junior setter Izzy Lukens, junior outside hitters Kayla Closset and Addy McAleer, junior middle blocker Lexie Smith, and redshirt junior middle blocker Mackenzie Meehan. 
 
The 2022 team features six newcomers in a trio of transfers coupled with three freshmen. 
 
Rachel Eddy (junior defensive specialist/libero) and Taylor Beasley (junior outside hitter) joined the program during the Spring 2022 semester after transferring from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and Murray State, respectively. Redshirt junior setter Kaelyn O'Brien signed with SEMO from VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) in April. 
 
Freshmen Jenny Shook (setter), Ramiri Gardner (middle blocker/rightside hitter), and Kalia Morris (defensive specialist/libero) along with redshirt freshman rightside hitter Avery Torrey round out the 2022 team.
 
SEMO's 2022 roster also includes four, three-time OVC Champions (2019 Tournament, 2021 Regular Season and Tournament Champions) in Colby Greene, Talia Gouard, Tara Beilsmith, and Zoey Beasley.
 
Academic Excellence
SEMO was awarded the United States Marine Corps (USMC)/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2021-2022 season. The Redhawks earned the honor for the 15th consecutive season and 22nd time in program history. 
 
Colby Greene, Megan Harris, and Avery Torrey all were awarded OVC Academic Medals of Honor for the 2021-22 academic year after they all registered a perfect 4.0 GPA. 
 
Kayla Closset, Caroline Draver, Talia Gouard, Colby Greene, Megan Harris, Addy McAleer, Elissa Moylan, Lexie Smith, and Avery Torrey were named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2021-22 academic year, achieving at least a 3.25 GPA.
 
Looking Ahead
Following the Redhawks opening OVC weekend at home, SEMO will head to Martin, Tennessee, for a weekend series with UT Martin Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.