Match 7-9
 
Tournament Information: 
Event: Chippewa Invitational
Dates: Friday, Sept. 13 – Saturday, Sept. 14
Times: Match #1 – 9:00 A.M. | Match #2 – 6:30 p.m. | Match #3 (Sat.) – 11:00 A.M.
Opponent: Match #1 – Green Bay (1-5) | Match #2 – Central Michigan (6-0) | Match #3 Eastern Kentucky (4-2)
Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich. 
Venue: McGuirk Arena
 
Follow the Redhawks: 
X: @SEMOvb
Live Stats: Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3
Watch (ESPN+): Green Bay | Central Michigan | Eastern Kentucky
 
Media Guide (PDF)
 
Volleyball Heads to Central Michigan for Chippewa Invitational Friday & Saturday
Southeast Missouri volleyball (2-4) will continue the non-conference portion of the 2024 schedule at the Chippewa Invitational in Mount Pleasant, Mich. On Friday and Saturday, September 13-14, hosted by Central Michigan from McGuirk Arena. 
 
The Matches
SEMO will play in the first game of the entire tournament on Friday morning when they take on Green Bay (1-5) at 9 a.m., CT marking the first-of-two matches on the day. The Redhawks will turn around Friday night to take on the host Central Michigan (6-0) at 6:30 p.m., CT. 
 
SEMO volleyball will conclude the Chippewa Invitational on Saturday morning, September 14, when they take on former Ohio Valley Conference rival, Eastern Kentucky (4-2). First serve is slated for 11 a.m. 
 
Series History 
The Redhawks begin the Invitational with Green Bay of the Horizon League as Friday's match up will be just the second meeting between the two schools on the volleyball court. The Phoenix hold a 1-0 series advantage with the only meeting coming on September 2, 2022. 
 
SEMO will square off with the Chippewas of Central Michigan from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for the fifth time in volleyball. The Redhawks hold a 3-1 series lead over CMU, as the two met a season ago to the tune of a 3-1 SEMO victory. 
 
The final match of the tournament features a former OVC foe in Eastern Kentucky in a series where SEMO has dominated the Colonels. The Redhawks hold a 40-10 advantage over EKU, most recently defeating them on February 14, 2021 (3-1). SEMO is currently on a four-game win streak in the series. 
 
All-Tournament Honors
For the second week in a row, rightside hitter Abby Johnson and middle blocker Ramiri Gardner were named to the All-Tournament team this past weekend following the conclusion of the MTSU Tournament. 
 
Johnson led the way with 34 kills (2.83 KPS) on 79 attempts, with just seven errors, for a .342 hitting-percentage. She was also named the tournament's MVP after SEMO finished 2-1 in Murfreesboro. 
 
Ramiri Gardner continued her strong start to the 2024 campaign as she finished the MTSU Tournament 27 kills, including a tournament best .471 hitting-percentage against Middle Tennessee. For the season, Gardner is hitting a team best .388. 
 
For the first time this season, Alaina Lester was the third and final Redhawk to land on the all-tournament team from a week ago. Lester finished the tournament with a staggering .519 hitting-percentage with 14 kills on 27 attempts with no errors. She chipped in 14 blocks at the net and accounted for 22.5 points. 
 
Freshman
Outside hitter Marin Johnson and middle blocker Alaina Lester have had huge impacts through six games of their first collegiate season. Lester has started all six matches, Johnson four, as the duo has accounted for 61-of-250 kills on the season. 
 
Johnson is fourth on the team with 45 kills. She is currently swinging at a .159 clip over 138 total attacks (23 errors). 
 
Lester has done her damage at the net on the defensive side with a team-high 24 total blocks on the season. She has six solo blocks which ties her with Ramiri Gardner, and 18 block assists. She has added in 16 kills on the offensive side, including a career-high six against Austin Peay (9/6). 
 
Leading the Attack
Sophomore outside hitter Lucy Arndt leads the SEMO offensive with a team best 63 kills on a team-high 245 total attacks through six games. The Preseason All-OVC selection recorded her season-best 17 kills a weekend ago against Middle Tennessee and has currently accounted for 75.0 points this season. 
 
Dish it Out
Setters Jenny Shook and Megan Holder have split the position through the first six games as the have dished out 83 and 86 assists, respectively. As a team, SEMO is hitting .175 on the back of the duo. In the tournament finale, Shook dished out a season-high 26 assists against Lehigh in a 3-0 SEMO win. 
 
Holder, who has been in double-digit assists in four-of-five matches played, dished out 26 against Middle Tennessee for her career-best. 
 
In the OVC
Here is a look at where the Redhawks rank amongst the conference: 

• Ramiri Gardner ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.388)
• Megan Holder is currently ninth in assists with 86 (5.06 APS)
• Alaina Lester ranks third in the conference in total blocks (24) with a 1.09 BPS
• Holder & Lucy Arndt rank seventh & ninth, respectively, in service aces (7, 6)
• Libero Abbey Richman ranks in the top five (fifth) in digs with 104. 
• Arndt currently has the ninth most kills in the OVC with 63. 

 
Scouting the Opponent
Green Bay
Green Bay enters the tournament with a 1-5 record, their only win coming against Northern Arizona (3-0) during the Red Raider Classic.
 
The green and white outhit NAU .241 to .111 and recorded 41 kills on 116 total attacks during the sweep.
 
In the win Freshman Diane Pichelman finished with nine kills leading the Phoenix attack while finishing with a hitting percentage of .533. Outside hitter Cors Behnke also finished with nine kills. 
 
Kennedy Schmitz led them defensively with 11 digs and senior setter Calli Gentry finished the match with 25 assists.
 
On the year GB has 239 total kills for a .145 hitting clip, averaging 10.4 kills per set. The Phoenix's have totaled 217 assists and 318 digs in six matches.
 
Overall Behnke leads the team with 62 kills (.142) and has six blocks to her name. Danilynn Schell has been a force for them with 49 kills and 11 blocks, both second best on GB. Gentry has chalked up 117 set assists while adding seven service aces and 60 digs.
 
Head Coach Abbey Sutherland is in her sixth season at the helm of Green Bay. Her squad was picked to finish fourth in the Horizon League.
 
Central Michigan
The Chippewas play host with a 6-0 record, posting wins against Lindenwood (3-2), Illinois State (3-1), Bellarmine (3-0), Albany (3-0), Farleigh Dickinson (3-1), and Iona (3-1).
 
In their last tournament CMU recorded 155 kills for a .204 hitting percentage and totaled 152 assists (50.7 per game). Defensively the chippewas dug 205 balls (68.3 per game) and registered 27 total blocks.
 
Offensively CMU has six athletes with 30 or more kills, led by Natalia Rejement with 57 kills (2.59 clip). Rejemnet also has 57 digs and seven blocks.
 
Krystina Kasson, Abby Olin, and Grace Thomas have 54, 46, and 34 kills and are great on the defensive side as well, notching 19, 21, and 28 blocks.
 
Setters Allie Korba and Keelyn Muell have dished out 133 and 105 assists. Muell also leads the chips in service aces with 11. Freshman Libero Hannah Langton leads the team in digs with 121 (20.2 per match) while also earning Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Mike Gawlik enters his ninth season at the helm of Central Michigan Volleyball for the 2024 season. He has his team on their best start since 2008.
 
 
Eastern Kentucky
The Colonels come into the match with a 4-2 overall record most recently picking up three wins at the Geri Polvino Invitational in Richmond, Ky. EKU defeated Morehead State (3-1), Radford (3-1), and Youngstown State (3-0). 
 
Middle blocker Paige Wagers was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a strong outing at their home tournament. Wagers finished with 2.18 blocks-per-set. She had 24 block attempts over 11 sets, averaging 1.27 kills-per-set. She ranks first in the Atlantic Sun with 1.67 blocks-per-set through two weekends. 
 
A season ago, EKU went 21-9 overall and finished third in their conference with an 11-5 ASUN mark. The Colonels took part in postseason play at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. 
 
They return five of six starters, and their libero, from last year's squad. Josie Schmitendorf was selected as the ASUN Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and was also a Preseason All-ASUN Team Selection, along with Sarah Mitchell. 
 
The other returning starters include Schmitendorf, Mitchell, and Kambree Lucas as well as Wagers, Carson Ledford, and AG Vandagriff.