LAKE CHARLES, La. – Southeast Missouri volleyball (4-3) concluded Friday evening with a five-set thrilling victory over McNeese State (1-7), 3-2 in the second match of the day by a final mark of 3-2 led by freshman Lucy Arndt and senior Kayla Closset. 
 
The Redhawks won 29-27, 19-25, 22-25, 25-21, and 19-17 to secure the fourth victory of the 2023 campaign. 
 
Arndt finished with 24 kills, a career-best and team-high, while Closset notched 22 kills including the game-winning kill to seal the victory in the fifth. For Closset, the 22 kills set a new career-best after registering 21 last season (UT Martin, 11/22). 
 
Trailing 15-14 in the fifth, the Redhawks turned to Closset as she kept the match going with her 21^st kill to tie the match at 15. Back-and-forth action, senior Zoey Beasley gave the Redhawks the lead with a kill to make the score 18-17 off the assist from Izzy Lukens. 
 
Lukens then set up Closset to close the match. Lukens finished with 54 assists, setting a new career-high after previously recording 51 in a match against Eastern Illinois in 2022. 
 
As a team, the Redhawks finished with 69 kills on 209 attempts for a .215 hitting percentage, hitting a game-high 70-percent in the fifth set. 
 
Four Redhawks finished in double-digit digs, led by libero Tara Beilsmith with 39 a new season high. Closset (19), Lukens (18), Arndt (13), and freshman Nina Schuberth (11) all finished with double digits. 
 
Schuberth also had a flawless evening serving for SEMO serving all 20 of her serves in the court of play, including five service aces resulting in a new personal-best. 
 
Friday night's match was tied 38 different times and featured 17 lead changes in the two hour and 30-minute match. 
 
SEMO will be back in action to conclude the McNeese State Invite tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. when they take on Sam Houston.