BRIEFLY: SEMO VOLLEYBALL READY FOR KEY OVC HOME MATCHES

Southeast Missouri State University's five-time defending Ohio Valley Conference championship volleyball team will face a pair of key OVC matches this weekend.

The Otahkians will take on Middle Tennessee State at 7 p.m. Friday and Tennessee Tech at 2 p.m. Saturday, both contests being played at Houck Field House.

Southeast is 2-4 overall and 1-1 in OVC play after suffering a recent upset at the hands of Morehead State.

Saturday's match figures to be an especially important one because Southeast and defending OVC tournament champion Tennessee Tech were picked as the top two teams in the league in a preseason coaches' poll.

"This is a huge weekend for us," said Southeast coach Cindy Gannon. "We have to protect our turf because we cannot afford to lose matches at home. The Tennessee Tech match is a big one as the winner will take a huge step toward winning the OVC."