Box Score (html)
BETHANY, Okla. – Errors and miscommunication cost the SWOSU Volleyball team as they suffered their first Great American Conference setback of the season on Tuesday night against Southern Nazarene. The Crimson Storm won the match in three sets by scores of 27-25, 25-18, 25-20.
The first went down to the wire with both teams trading leads during the set. SWOSU took a two-point advantage at 18-16 but it would not last long as SNU scored seven of the following nine points and took a 23-20 lead late. The Bulldogs showed their resolve, fighting off two set points after falling behind 24-22 and taking a brief 25-24 lead before SNU scored the final three points and took the set 27-25.
SWOSU had appeared to bounce back positively in set two, scoring the first four points before SNU quickly seized control and got out to a 14-8 lead. Facing a near insurmountable lead, the Bulldogs continue to grind it out and force several long points late in the set and again fought off multiple set points before succumbing by a count of 25-18.
After trading points early in the third set, SNU went up 14-8 midway through the set and it appeared they would coast to the victory. The gritty Bulldogs were not going to allow that and cut the deficit back to one at 20-19 and had a chance to get the set tied before a ball dropped in front of two players unable to make a hit. From that point, SNU scored four of the final five points to take the set 25-20 and sweep the match.
Joey Collins led the Bulldogs with 10 kills while
Carly Zak had eight in the loss.
Brandy Mader had 28 digs to go along with four kills and nine digs while
Taylor VanderWerff added four kills and a team-high four blocks.
Kaila Lancaster led the team with 22 digs for the match.
The loss drops the Bulldogs to 4-6 on the year and 2-1 in conference play heading into a weekend set in Arkansas. SWOSU will face Henderson State on Friday night in Arkadelphia before a Saturday morning meeting with Ouachita Baptist.
