Southeast Missouri State volleyball team sees comeback fall short vs. SIU

Experience trumped youth on Sunday afternoon as the Southeast Missouri State volleyball team fell to Southern Illinois, but the Redhawks didn't go down without a fight.

Southeast (4-9) found itself down 2-0 to visiting SIU (6-6) 24-26, 22-25, but rallied back to win the third and fourth sets 25-23, 25-21 forcing a winner take all fifth set in the Redhawks' home opener.

Southeast's inexperience showed up during the final set as the Redhawks committed three costly errors down the stretch in a 10-15 loss as the Salukis won the match 3-2 in front of a record-breaking 1,206 fans at Houck Field House.

Southeast coach Julie Yankus said Southeast gained confidence despite the loss.

"It's not easy to come back from two sets down in a college volleyball match the way that we did," Yankus said. "We've got a lot of young people on the floor. That's why you saw those miscues and lack of communication, but we'll fix that going forward. Right now I'm just happy with the way we fought to try and get back in this match. You always love to see that, and hopefully some of this inexperience shook off and you'll see our team playing with a lot more confidence."

Southeast Missouri State middle blocker Taylor Masterson spikes over Southern Illinois’ Taylor Pippen during the second set Sunday at Houck Field House. (Fred Lynch)

Southeast couldn't hold on to a lead in the first set. The Salukis had a 10-7 advantage, but the Redhawks rallied to pull within 12-11 and took a 13-12 lead when SIU committed two errors.

The Redhawks stretched their lead to 16-12, their largest of the first set, before the Salukis answered with a 9-4 run to take a 21-20 lead.

Southeast tied it three more times, but failed to ever take the lead as SIU won.

The Redhawks never led in the second set. They came within one point of the Salukis twice -- at 13-12 and 19-18 -- but SIU held on for a 2-0 lead.

"We struggled to finish there and find someone who could terminate when games were close," Yankus said. "[SIU] did a good job of putting the ball away anytime we got close or held a lead there in those first two sets. We have to make sure that we have ways to score and can find our go-to hitters."

Andrea Baylin turned out to be one of those go-to hitters in the third set for the Redhawks.

The senior put down 12 kills over the first two sets, and came up big when Southeast needed her.

Southeast was holding a slim 20-19 lead in the third set when a Redhawks error allowed SIU to pull even at 20-20.

Yankus called a timeout to allow her team to regroup.

"At that point I was just telling them to find the openings on SIU's side," Yankus said. "They weren't defending up close to the net so I knew we could attack up close and expose some of their defenders."

Baylin scored the Redhawks' next four points with powerful kills to give Southeast a 24-20 lead.

Southeast libero Jade Mortimer's service ace ultimately sealed a 25-23 win.

"My coach told me that line was open," Baylin said about her attacking game in the third set. "I swung there until I couldn't swing there anymore, but honestly, my setter Kat Rotta was dishing me great balls. Unfortunately we lost, which washes all that away, and I'm not going to take credit for anything because a loss is a loss and this is a team sport."

The Redhawks and Salukis battled back and forth in the fourth set with five lead changes and eight ties before Southeast was able to pull away for a 23-19 lead and finished off the Salukis to even the match at 2-2.

"I really thought we had the momentum heading into a fifth set, but unfortunately it doesn't always stay on your side," Yankus said.

Southeast only trailed 9-7 after an attack error by SIU forced a Saluki timeout. SIU regrouped with a 6-3 run after the timeout to secure the match.

The Redhawks committed four errors and failed to play solid defense in the final set.

"A lot of serve receive was just lack of communication and us being very hesitant," Mortimer said. "You can't do that if you want to win, and we know that. We'll definitely be working on that this week."

Baylin led the Redhawks with 27 kills. Baylin and Mortimer had 19 digs a piece. Rotta led Southeast with 58 assists.

Yankus is confident that her team is getting better as the season progresses.

"Of course we're not happy with any of the communication mistakes and it makes a huge difference especially in the fifth set," Yankus said. "We'll continue to work on talking and using names, but against any of our OVC opponents, I think if we played the way we did today, we would've won. This is a very good SIU team, and to come back the way we did and at least have a fighting chance makes me very optimistic about the future of this team."

The Redhawks will begin Ohio Valley Conference play against Murray State on the road at 7 p.m. Friday.