CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Southeast Missouri (10-7, 3-2 OVC) fell to Southern Indiana (7-10, 3-2 OVC) in five sets at Houck Field House on Thursday night. 

First Set  
- Southern Ind. took an early lead with a kill by Ashby Willis and a service ace from Audrey Small, making it 2-0.  
- Southeast Mo. St. responded with a strong sequence, aided by a service ace from Ramiri Gardner, to gain a 9-3 advantage.  
- Katherine St. John contributed with a kill, extending Southeast Mo. St.'s lead to 14-3 during a dominant stretch.  
- Marin Johnson's kill helped Southeast Mo. St. secure the set 25-19, despite a late push from Southern Ind.

Second Set  
- Southeast Missouri State started strong with Katherine St. John and Lucy Arndt contributing early kills, helping the team maintain a lead at 3-2.  
- Southern Indiana responded with a service ace by Ashby Willis and a brief lead at 5-3, but Southeast Missouri quickly evened the score.  
- A series of kills from Marin Johnson and service aces from Ramiri Gardner propelled Southeast Missouri to a commanding 18-10 advantage.  
- Despite a late push from Southern Indiana, including a service ace from Audrey Small, Southeast Missouri secured the set 25-18 with a final kill by Marin Johnson.  

Third Set  
- Southern Indiana started strong with an early lead, as Ashby Willis's kill and Keira Moore's back-to-back service aces put them ahead 5-1.  
- Marin Johnson kept Southeast Mo. St. competitive, recording multiple kills, narrowing the gap to 12-10.  
- USI's Aysa Thomas played a pivotal role, delivering a service ace and setting up multiple kills, extending the lead to 18-13.  
- Despite a late push from SEMO, with Lucy Arndt and Johnson combining for key points, Southern Indiana secured the set 25-22 with Carley Wright's decisive kill.  

Fourth Set  
- Southern Indiana and Southeast Mo. St. traded points early, with Willis leading USI with multiple kills assisted by Thomas.  
- SEMO's Arndt provided key kills to keep the score close, while Johnson added a crucial service ace during a late surge.  
- USI's Leah Coleman contributed effectively with several kills, complementing Willis's strong offensive performance.  
- Southern Indiana closed the set with a service ace, securing a 26-24 win and the match victory.

Fifth Set  
- Southern Indiana began with a strong start, taking a 4-0 lead with kills from Carley Wright and Ashby Willis.  
- Southeast Mo. St. responded with a service ace by Ramiri Gardner and a block by Alaina Lester and Katherine St. John to tie the set at 5-5.  
- Leah Coleman of Southern Indiana contributed four consecutive kills, pushing the visitors to an 11-7 advantage.  
- Marin Johnson's kill brought Southeast Mo. St. within four points, but Ashby Willis sealed the set for Southern Indiana at 15-11.

SEMO Top Performers
Lucy Arndt  
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- 20 kills  
- 13 digs  
- 23.0 points  

Marin Johnson  
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- 19 kills with a .529 hitting percentage  
- 5 digs  
- 20.5 points  

Ramiri Gardner  
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- 8 kills  
- 5 service aces  
- 6 digs  

Megan Holder  
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- 37 assists  
- 13 digs  

Nina Schuberth  
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- 20 digs  
- 5 assists  

Looking ahead, Southeast Missouri State will host Southern Indiana at Houck Field House in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The matchup is set for Friday, Oct. 10, at 4 p.m.