On paper, Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team definitely appears to face a huge challenge this year.

But the Otahkians have faced such challenges before -- and always come out none the worse for wear.

That's what coach Cindy Gannon is counting on again as the Otahkians prepare to open the 2001 season this weekend in the four-team Lamar Tournament in Beaumont, Texas. Their first home match will be Sept. 18 against Austin Peay.

"My athletes at Southeast, they know how to win. We've got that tradition and reputation, which carries a long way," said Gannon.

The Otahkians will be counting heavily on that tradition and reputation after losing three standout seniors from their 2000 squad that won its second straight Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title, captured its third straight OVC Tournament championship, made its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and became the first OVC team to win a first-round NCAA tourney match.

Finding capable replacements for the likes of Krista Haukap, Lea Beckemeyer and Rachelle Knapp won't be easy. Haukap was the 2000 OVC Player of the Year, Beckemeyer was the 2000 OVC Tournament MVP and Knapp was solid if not spectacular.

"We lost three outstanding players," said Gannon, entering her 13th season in charge of the Otahkians. "But we had athletes playing behind those people and I think they're ready to step in now."

OVC domination

Southeast has dominated OVC volleyball since joining the league in 1991, winning eight regular-season titles in 10 years, capturing five tournament crowns and making four NCAA tourney appearances.

The Otahkians have been particularly overwhelming in the OVC over the past two years, going 33-1 in regular-season league matches -- including last year's 16-0 mark.

While Southeast has been picked to finish just third in the nine-team conference this year according to a poll of the league's head coaches, Gannon expects the Otahkians to be in the thick of the OVC race.

"We've been in the hunt every year since we joined the conference and I don't anticipate any different," she said.

Lori Lange, the captain and lone senior on a young 10-player squad, said the Otahkians will use being selected third in the OVC as motivation.

"It adds fuel to the fire and gives us incentive," said Lange, who has been a key performer at Southeast since her freshman season. "I definitely think we're going to have a good team."

In addition to Lange, an outside hitter who started every match but one last year, sophomore setter Emily Scannell was the 2000 OVC Freshman of the Year as she led the league and ranked 13th nationally in assists.

"Emily had a tremendous freshman season and Lori is really a strong leader for the younger kids. She adds a lot to our team," said Gannon.

Emily Johnson, a junior middle blocker, is another returning starter. Her 124 kills in 2000 ranked only behind Haukap, Beckemeyer and Knapp.

One other player, sophomore outside hitter Suzanne Gundlach, saw extensive action last season.

Three other returning players -- junior middle blocker Emily Wahlman, junior outside hitter Bobbi Carlile and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Frost -- saw only limited action a year ago but are being counted on to fill key roles.

Three newcomers

Gannon will also be looking for contributions from her three newcomers, led by junior-college transfer Jessica Houpt, an outside hitter. The two freshmen are outside hitter Kristina Walk and setter Kristen Clark.

For this weekend's opening tournament, Gannon said her starting lineup will feature Scannell at setter, Carlile, Houpt and Frost on the outside, and Johnson and Wahlman in the middle. Lange and Gundlach will serve as the defensive specialists.

"I have high expectations for this team," said Gannon. "They're a hard working and closely knit group. I envision them as being very tenacious, meaning they won't go down easily."

* Southeast, like all NCAA volleyball teams, will have to adjust to a new scoring system that goes into effect this year.

For the first time, rally scoring will be used in all games of the match, meaning that no matter which team serves, the team that wins the rally scores a point. In the past, only the serving team could score a point until the fifth and deciding game of a best-of-five match, when rally scoring was used.

In every match, games one through four are won when one team reaches 30 points and leads by two points. A deciding fifth game is won when a team reaches 15 points and leads by two points.

* Maile Parker returns for her fourth season as Gannon's assistant coach.

A new staff member is graduate assistant Renata Nowacki, fresh off a standout playing career at Mississippi.