CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri women's volleyball (2-1) fell Saturday afternoon to Southern Illinois (2-0) by a final score of 3-1 to conclude the 2023 SEMO Invitational. 
 
The Redhawks dropped the first two sets (25-18, 25-17) before rallying in the third to win the set 25-19. In the third, SEMO hit a game-high .429 with 13 kills in the set which was tied for the most in the match. 
 
Marisa Guisti and Kaelyn O'Brien led the Redhawks attack with 13 kills apiece hitting at a .429 and a .520 clip, respectively. 
 
Tara Beilsmith finished with a team-high 30 digs on the defensive side of the net for the Redhawks. Lucy Arndt was second on the team with 17 digs. She finished with 10 kills on 43 total attacks (.163). 
 
SEMO held the advantage at the net with 10 blocks as a team to just five for SIU. Kaelyn O'Brien finished with five block assists. Mackenzie Meehan and Marisa Guisti finished with four a piece. 
 
The match that lasted two hours and four minutes saw 15 lead changes and 31 times the score was tied as the two teams battled back and forth through the four-set match. 
 
Setter Izzy Lukens capped off an impressive weekend after 66 assists through two games, the senior finished the final match with 23 assists to push her total to 89 through three games. 
 
Sophomore Jenny Shook made a big impact off the bench dishing out 15 assists. 
 
SIU was led by Nataly Garcia who finished the afternoon with 18 kills on 39 total attacks. Garcia finished with a .308 hitting percentage. 

The Redhawks will be back in action on Friday, September 1 at the Chicago State Tournament in Chicago, Ill. SEMO will play at 10 a.m. against former OVC-member Jacksonville State.