Redhawks begin OVC schedule today

~ Southeast takes a five-match losing streak to Tennessee State.

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team will carry a five-match losing streak into the start of Ohio Valley Conference play.

But coach Renata Nowacki said she still feels good about the Redhawks (3-6) entering their 20-match OVC schedule that begins tonight on the road.

Southeast faces Tennessee State (2-6) at 7 p.m. in Nashville, then takes on Tennessee Tech (6-5) in Cookeville at 2 p.m. Saturday.

"We played a tough nonconference schedule and I think that has definitely prepared us for conference play," Nowacki said.

The Redhawks dropped all three matches during last weekend's tournament hosted by Saint Louis University, falling in four games to Saint Louis, Connecticut and IUPUI.

"Even though we went 0-3, we played some of our best volleyball. We hung in there with three very tough teams," said Nowacki, whose squad has also lost to nationally ranked Ohio State.

Nowacki is hopeful of getting off to a fast start in the conference, but knows it won't be easy with Southeast playing its first three matches away from home, including Tuesday at Eastern Illinois.

Tennessee State finished second in the OVC last year before Southeast upset the Tigers in the semifinals of the conference tournament after the Redhawks tied for sixth in the regular season.

"They are a very good team," Nowacki said. "Their record so far is not indicative of the type of team they have."

Tennessee State was picked fourth in the OVC's preseason poll, ahead of No. 6 Southeast and No. 7 Tennessee Tech.

Last year, Southeast and Tennessee Tech finished deadlocked for sixth, but the Redhawks claimed the tie-breaker with the Eaglettes to earn the final spot in the OVC tournament.

The Redhawks then pulled off two upsets before being swept by Jacksonville State in the tourney finals. The Gamecocks are the preseason OVC favorites.

For the first time since the OVC expanded to 11 members in 2003, all conference teams will play each other at home and on the road, making for the 20-match schedule.

In recent years, OVC squads played 16 league matches.

"I think it's going to make this a lot more fair," Nowacki said in endorsing the change. "I'm excited about it. It will really be a good representation of who the regular-season champion is."

A newcomer, junior college transfer Aubrey Dondlinger, leads the Redhawks in kills with 106.

"She has made a big impact for us," Nowacki said.