OTAHKS REACH OVC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team charged impressively into today's championship match of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament with two sweeps on Friday.

Southeast, seeded third, swept No. 6 seed Morehead State in the opening round before dispatching of No. 2 seed Tennessee Tech in straight games.

Southeast, which improved to 23-11 on the season, will face top-seeded Eastern Illinois today at 2 p.m. Eastern, the regular season champion, received a first-round bye before sweeping Murray State 16-4, 15-7, 15-6 in the semifinals.

Southeast reserved its spot in the final with a 15-13, 15-13, 15-1 victory over Tech Friday night. Southeast encountered little resistance from No. 6 seed Morehead State earlier in the day, winning 15-4, 16-14, 15-4.

Jackie Derwort led the offense against Tennessee Tech with 19 kills while Krista Haukap had 16, Angie Aschoff 12 and Lea Beckemeyer 10. Derwort sparked the defense with 19 digs, followed by Aschoff with 12 and Haukap with 10. Amy Henken dished out 48 assists.

Against Morehead State, Derwort and Haukap had 12 kills apiece. Haukap had 14 digs, followed by Aschoff with 13 and Derwort with 12. Henken contributed 35 assists.

* Also Friday, Aschoff was named a first-team all-OVC performer. The junior middle blocker was the only Otahkian named to the first team.

A native of Ankeny, Iowa, Aschoff leads the OVC in hitting percentage (.375) during the regular season.

Three Southeast players, junior outside hitter Derwort, sophomore outside hitter Haukap and junior setter Henken, earned second-team all-OVC honors.

Henken, a transfer from Indiana State, was also named to the OVC all-newcomer team.

Eastern Illinois, the regular-season OVC champion, had two players named to the first team: middle hitter Sherry Austin and outside hitter Meleah Cutler.

Austin was named the OVC Player of the Year while Eastern Illinois' Betty Ralston was selected as the OVC Coach of the Year.