Redhawks rediscover fun, winning

Renata Nowacki believes her team stopped having as much fun as it should, which helped contribute to a five-match losing streak.

So the Southeast Missouri State volleyball coach recently delivered a simple message to her Redhawks.

"Two things we talked about was starting to have fun again and fight," Nowacki said. "Things were getting stressful and we had to love the game again."

Southeast appears to be having plenty of fun these days, thanks to a three-match winning streak. Victory No. 3 came Tuesday night at Houck Field House.

The Redhawks claimed a back-and-forth thriller from Murray State 25-18, 19-25, 22-25, 28-26, 17-15.

"It was intense," Southeast junior libero Molly Davis said. "I hope the people who came out enjoyed it and come back for our next match."

Southeast (10-11, 8-5) moved into sole possession of fourth place in the 10-team Ohio Valley Conference, just ahead of the Racers (10-12, 7-5).

"Regardless of the outcome, even if we had lost, it was a great match," Nowacki said.

Nowacki said she had her aforementioned talk with the Redhawks last week, before a match at OVC-leading Morehead State.

Southeast beat the Eagles, avenging a home sweep early in the season.

A win at Eastern Kentucky followed, then came Tuesday's victory over an MSU squad that swept Southeast less than two weeks ago in Murray, Ky.

"We definitely had a turning point starting with Morehead," Davis said. "We completely changed our mindset."

Several Redhawks had strong matches Tuesday, led by senior outside hitter Aubrey Dondlinger.

A member of last year's OVC all-newcomer team and a preseason all-conference selection, Dondlinger has been battling injuries. But Dondlinger said she finally is healthy -- and she has been on quite a roll.

Dondlinger blistered the Racers for her fourth double-double in the past five matches. She had a season-high 24 kills to go along with 15 digs Tuesday. That comes after being named the OVC offensive player of the week after recording 48 kills and 43 digs in three matches last week.

"I'm finally completely healthy," Dondlinger said. "It's just totally coming together for me and the team."

Said Nowacki: "Aubrey has really stepped up. Starting with Morehead, we've seen the Aubrey of last year."

Davis had 28 digs, giving her 1,520 in her career and moving within two digs of breaking the school's career record.

Sophomore Claire Keaton, Southeast's kills leader this season, had 11 kills, as did junior Amanda Rickhoff and sophomore Emily Hughes.

Rickhoff and Keaton both had double-doubles with 15 and 14 digs, respectively.

Junior setter Sarah Barth also notched a double-double with 58 assists and 20 digs.

Freshman Logan Su led MSU with 25 kills. Sophomore Ashley Nenninger, a Notre Dame Regional High School graduate, added 10 kills for the Racers.

"Ashley did a great job," said 11th-year MSU coach David Schwepker, a 1987 Southeast graduate who was a Southeast assistant coach from 1992 through 1994. "We're glad she's here."

The tight match featured 16 lead changes and 30 ties.

With the fifth and deciding game deadlocked 15-15, Rickhoff and Keaton hammered home consecutive kills to give Southeast the win.

Southeast hosts Eastern Illinois on Friday night.