SEMO volleyball having big season

SEMO volleyball doesn't attract nearly the attention of the university's high-profile sports like football and basketball but what the Redhawks are doing so far this year is worthy of plenty of notice.

The Redhawks are in the middle of a sensational season as their resurgence continues under second-year coach Julie Folliard.

Folliard took over a squad that missed the OVC tournament the previous two seasons and was coming off a ninth-place finish. She led the 2011 Redhawks to a fourth-place OVC showing and their first conference tournament berth since 2008.

That was just a warmup for 2012.

SEMO, 16-7 overall and 8-0 in OVC play, is off to the program's best start since 2000 and has already surpassed last year's overall win total.

The Redhawks have opened up a commanding lead atop the OVC West Division standings and the overall OVC championship, which would mean hosting the conference tournament, could very well be decided Friday night.

That's when SEMO plays at two-time defending regular-season conference champion Morehead State. The Eagles, also the defending OVC tournament champion, lead the East Division with an 8-0 record.

Friday's match is the only regular-season meeting between the teams this year and the winner will have a leg up on a potential OVC title.