Morehead, Ky. -- The Morehead State volleyball team battled but fell in straight sets, 3-0 (23-25, 19-25, 23-25) to Southeast Missouri Saturday in the Academic Athletic Center in Morehead, Kentucky.
 
Morehead State (7-10, 3-4 OVC) was led by senior Hollan Everett who posted 15 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Senior Amelia Nott finished with 10 kills and a .429 attack efficiency. Freshman Ella Warrick just missed her seventh double-double of the season with nine kills and 10 digs.
 
Southeast Missouri (13-7, 6-1 OVC) was led by sophomore Reagan Nelson, who posted a double-double with a match-high 17 kills and 10 digs. Senior Lucy Arndt smacked 16 kills and posted a .417 hitting percentage.
 
The opening set was tightly played, with 17 tie scores and four lead changes. Morehead State got a 3-0 run highlighted by two Josie Certa aces to take a 16-13 lead. Southeast Missouri answered with a four-point run to surge ahead 17-16. Later, a 3-1 SEMO run gave the Redhawks the lead at 23-21. The teams traded points and SEMO took the first set 25-23. SEMO posted a .351 hitting percentage while Morehead State hit .333.
 
The second set was again closely contested in the early stages of the frame, with eight ties and three lead changes. A Redhawk three-point run pushed SEMO ahead 14-10. The Redhawks steadily pulled away and took the set 25-19. The Redhawk attack posted a .385 hitting percentage in the frame. Morehead State hit .250 in the second.  
 
The final set was again close with nine ties and four lead changes. A four-point run in the middle stage of the frame highlighted by three kills by Arndt pushed the Redhawks ahead 14-12. An MSU 3-0 run fueled by an ace by Warrick and two Everett kills tied the score at 14-14. The Eagles evened the score twice, 21-21 and 23-23, in the late stages of the set, but two kills from Arndt clinched the match for Southeast Missouri.
 
Morehead State returns to action next weekend as they travel to Nashville to face off with Tennessee State. Friday's match is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Saturday's start is set for 1:00 p.m. ET.
 
NOTABLE

• Both teams posted season highs in efficiency: SEMO posted a .381 hitting percentage Morehead State hit .311 in the match.
• Southeast Missouri had a 6-5 edge in service aces. Josie Certa tied her career-high with three aces. Warrick added two for Morehead State. SEMO was paced by Nelson with three aces.
• Morehead State finished with a 3-2 advantage in blocks. Haidyn Carter led with two blocks in the match.
• SEMO finished with a 55-48 advantage in digs, led by libero Harper Highfill with 15. Nelson and Ellie Burns added 10 apiece. Libero Courtney Fitzgerald led MSU with 11 digs, Warrick added 10.
• Setters Sydney Sennett and Josie Certa tied for match honors with 19 assists each. SEMO's Megan Holder posted 18.