Southeast Missouri State volleyball team captures at least share of OVC title

~ The Redhawks volleyball team rallied for a four-game victory against UTM

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball team clinched at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference's West Division on Tuesday night.

Southeast, playing its final regular-season road match, rallied past Tennessee-Martin 24-26, 25-19, 25-18, 25-19.

The Redhawks improved to 19-12 overall and 11-4 in OVC play. Austin Peay is one game behind the Redhawks in the West standings.

Both squads have one regular-season match remaining. Southeast hosts Tennessee Tech at 2 p.m. Saturday on senior day, while Austin Peay entertains Morehead State, which already has clinched its third straight OVC regular-season championship.

Tennessee-Martin (10-19, 6-9) won the first game before Southeast took control behind a balanced offensive attack that featured four players recording double-figure kills.

"Any time we have a balanced effort like this we are going to pick up wins," Southeast coach Julie Folliard said in a release.

Junior Emily Coon led Southeast with 13 kills. She also had five blocks.

Also recording double-figure kills for the Redhawks were junior Colleen Yarber with 12, senior Brittney Kalinoski with 11 and sophomore Kelsey Keeve with 11.

Yarber added 18 digs for a double-double, while Kalinoski posted 13 digs for a double-double.

Junior setter Julie Shives also had a double-double with 39 assists and 10 digs.

Junior Berkley Idel led Southeast in digs with 26. Redshirt freshman Taylor Masterson matched Coon with five blocks.

Southeast, after dropping the opening game 26-24, won the 25-19 second game by closing with a 10-4 run.

The Redhawks used 10 kills to take the third game 25-18. Southeast forced seven attacking errors by the Skyhawks.

Southeast took a 10-5 lead in the fourth game and eased to a 25-19 victory to win the match.