MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri volleyball (1-4) fell in a five-set thriller on Friday night to Middle Tennessee (1-3) by a final score of 3-2 from Alumni Memorial Gym. The match was the first five-set match of the season for the Redhawks. 
 
SEMO won the first two sets 25-18 and 25-20, respectively, but the Blue Raiders won three-straight by scores of 25-23, 25-22, and 15-11. 
 
Four Redhawks finished in double-digits in the match with kills as Lucy Arndt (17), Abby Johnson (13), Marin Johnson (11), and Ramiri Gardner (10) led the SEMO offense. Arndt, Marin Johnson, and Abby Johnson all recorded season-bests for the category. 
 
As a team, SEMO hit .325 for the match with 61 kills, just 12 errors, on 151 total attempts compared to MTSU who hit .315. The Blue Raiders edged SEMO in kills with 74 on 165 total attempts. 
 
Junior setter Jenny Shook, who made the start in the second match of the day, finished with a double-double as she dished out a season-best 22 assists and recorded 14 digs. 
 
Freshman setter Megan Holder produced a career-best 26 assists. 
 
MTSU had four players finish in double-figure kills for the match led by Laure Jansen with 19. 
 
In the fifth set, the two teams traded points after MTSU opened with a 2-0 lead in the final frame. An attack error on MTSU's Adri Rhoda got SEOM on the board before two more points from MTSU made it 4-1. 
 
Lucy Arndt would register her 15^th kill to cut the deficit to just two as the two teams battled to an 8-6 scoreboard as the teams flipped sides in the fifth set. 
 
Arndt's 16^th & 17^th kill would get the Redhawks to within a point at 10-9 & 12-11, but the Redhawks could never gain the lead as the Blue Raiders closed the match on a 3-0 run to win the match, 3-2. 
 
Looking Ahead
SEMO Volleyball will conclude the MTSU Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 7, when they take on Lehigh of the Patriot League. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. in Murfreesboro.