Redhawks volleyball fails to make OVC tourney

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team fell short of qualifying for the OVC tournament Sunday when Eastern Kentucky grabbed the sixth and final seed with a five-set victory against Eastern Illinois.

The victory was the fourth straight for Eastern Kentucky and third in three days. The Colonels will enter the tournament as the hottest team in the field after handing Jacksonville State its first conference loss Friday, upending Tennessee Tech on Saturday, then defeating Eastern Illinois 25-23, 25-13, 24-26, 22-25, 15-8 in a makeup match Sunday in Evansville, Ind.

The streak evened EKU's OVC record at 9-9. Southeast, which lost its final regular-season match Friday night to Eastern Illinois, finished seventh with an 8-10 record in the OVC and 13-17 overall.

Top-seeded Jacksonville State will host the OVC tournament, which begins Thursday. The field also consists of No. 2 Austin Peay, No. 3 Morehead State, No. 4 Murray State, No. 5 Tennessee Tech and No. 6 Eastern Kentucky.

-- Southeast Missourian