Otahks turn away pesky Eagles

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball team, looking to improve to .500 overall, got what it wished for in a four-set home win Friday that pushed Tennessee Tech's losing streak to five games.

The Otahkians (9-9, 4-2 Ohio Valley Conference) won 24-30, 30-19, 30-21, 30-12 at Houck Field House.

The squads played to a 10-10 tie in the first set before Tech (4-12, 1-5 OVC) scored three points to go up 13-10. Southeast answered with a 5-0 run.

A tremendous play tied the game for Tech. The ball seemed to be well out of play, but a diving Eagle volleyed to allow Tech to score the tying point. The play sent the Eagles on their way to win the first set 30-24.

"I was thrilled the way we played our first set," Tech coach Jennie Gilbert said. "The girls followed the game plan, they executed the game plan, and we controlled the ball very well."

Southeast (9-9, 4-2) gained control at the beginning of the second set and went up 5-1. Tech battled back to within a point at 9-8 before Otahkians senior Bobbi Carlile served five points for a 13-8 lead. With the lead 20-13, Gilbert called a timeout to break Southeast's momentum.

Going on a run

Southeast came out of the timeout to score 10 of the final 16 points to even the match at 1-1.

"We are home and we have got to take every opportunity we have to take home-court advantage," Southeast coach Cindy Gannon said. "Tech got flat in that second game and we couldn't let them come out and get fired up like they did in the first game. We had to come out, stay after it and play hard."

The Otahkians did just that and took an early 8-3 lead in the third game before Tech tied it 9-9. Southeast took the lead plays later and scored 14 of the final 19 points to take the set 30-21.

The fourth game wasn't nearly as close. Emily Scannell, who had 47 of Southeast's 55 assist, served an ace to put Southeast up 5-0. Southeast went up 10 points on Emily Wahlman's ace serve, clearing the way for a 30-12 win that closed out the match.

Carlile led the Otahkians in kills with 17, followed by Emily Johnson (14) and Sarah Frost (10). Suzanne Gundlach had 19 digs and Scannell added 16.