SIU-Edwardsville outlasts Southeast Missouri State volleyball team

~ The Redhawks still need one win to clinch a berth in the OVC tournament

Southeast Missouri State's march to an Ohio Valley Conference volleyball tournament berth hit a speed bump Tuesday night.

The Redhawks believe it only is a temporary one since their chances of making the tournament for the first time since 2008 still are very good.

"We want to clinch that as soon as possible," sophomore outside hitter Colleen Yarber said. "We still have chances. The sooner the better."

Southeast hoped to make it official in the first of its three consecutive home matches to end the regular season, but first-year OVC member SIU-Edwardsville had other ideas.

The Cougars won a tight, back-and-forth affair 29-27, 21-25, 25-22, 26-24 to sweep the season series from the Redhawks.

The Redhawks, who lost in three games at SIUE on Sept. 17, fell to 12-17 overall and 10-8 in the OVC.

"They've got our number this season unfortunately," junior outside hitter Brittney Kalinoski said.

Southeast, which suffered just its second loss in eight matches at Houck Field House this season, still is having an impressive turnaround under first-year coach Julie Folliard.

The Redhawks are tied for fourth place in the 11-team OVC and are just one game out of second. They need only one more win to lock down a berth in next week's six-team conference tournament at regular-season champion Morehead State.

Southeast missed the OVC tournament the past two years after previously never failing to qualify since joining the league in 1991. The 2010 Redhawks went 7-22 and finished next-to-last in the OVC at 4-14.

"It would have been nice to clinch it tonight. Hopefully we can get two wins this weekend," Folliard said. "We didn't play with the sense of urgency we needed to. The pressure is huge this week."

Folliard credited the feisty Cougars (13-18, 8-11) after the match that featured 37 ties and 18 lead changes. There were at least eight ties and four lead changes in every game but the second.

"SIU was really scrappy. It seemed like they dug everything. It's hard to win points that way," Folliard said. "We couldn't put it away at the end."

Yarber continued her strong play after being inserted into the lineup during the middle of October. She had 17 kills and 16 digs.

"Colleen has done a great job for us. She has really come alive," Folliard said. "She plays with such enthusiasm and excitement."

Yarber is averaging more than three kills per game over the past nine matches to lead the Redhawks.

Kalinoski also reached double figures in kills with 15. She leads the Redhawks with 294 kills.

Junior outside hitter Karlee Lursen had nine kills and 13 digs.

Freshman middle blocker Kelsey Keeve contributed nine kills and five blocks. Sophomore libero Berkley Idel had 17 digs.

Sophomore setter Julie Shives recorded her 22nd double-double of the year with a season-high 50 assists and 10 digs.

"We hit such a high percentage tonight because Julie made smart choices by seeing their blockers and going the other way," Folliard said after the Redhawks hit .266 with 60 kills.

SIU's offense also was strong with 75 kills while hitting .259. Sophomore outside hitter Julie Whitfield had 25 kills and 20 digs for the Cougars.

"We just didn't push through," Yarber said.

Southeast had two game points in the opener but could not convert.

The Redhawks led 24-22 in the fourth game but failed on three consecutive game points. SIU scored four consecutive points to end the match.

Southeast hosts Austin Peay at 6:30 p.m. Friday.