Box Score (html)
BETHANY, Okla. – A season-worst .062 hitting performance put SWOSU on the wrong end of a 3-0 (20-25, 20-25, 18-25) decision on Tuesday night against Southern Nazarene in the Sawyer Center.
The Bulldogs found themselves in an early 6-2 hole in the first set, but were able to climb back into the set thanks to a service ace by
Lindsey McCauley. An attack error by Southern Nazarene on the next point gave SWOSU their first lead of the match, and they would extend the lead to 12-10 off kills by
Carly Zak and
DeLayni Fine. Following a couple of brief lead swaps soon after, the Bulldogs held a 19-16 advantage, but the Crimson Storm recorded six straight points following a SWOSU service error.
Paige Holt would get one last kill for the Bulldogs before SWOSU succumbed to a 25-20 first-set setback.
Starting the second set, SWOSU jumped out to a 5-1 lead, but would ultimately see SNU claw back and tied it at 8-8.
Kayla Hebert and Zak got back-to-back kills to distance themselves, 12-10, and would push the lead to 15-12 before another rally by the Crimson Storm saw the hosts take seven of the next nine points. Following a brief run of six straight points, Zak laid down a kill to halt the rally down 21-18. On the brink, SWOSU won back the serve following another Zak kill. The Crimson Storm ultimately took the second set by the same 25-20 score.
SWOSU again took the lead out of the gates in the third set, this time 5-3 following a hitting error by SNU. The Crimson Storm wrestled away the lead again, scoring eight of the following nine points. The Dawgs cut the lead to 14-12 following a service ace by
Addie Aman, but it would not be enough as Southern Nazarene again distanced themselves 21-17. SNU would win four of the final five points, taking the match in straight sets.
Zak totaled her 16th double-double of the season, leading the Bulldogs with 10 kills and tallying 11 digs. Holt was second on the team with six kills, while Hebert and
Jill Green each had five. Hebert led the team with 18 digs, while
Kaila Lancaster also finished in double figures with 13 digs. SWOSU was blocked on 11 attacks.
The Bulldogs suffered their first straight-set loss of the year in Great American Conference play and fall to 9-6 in conference play. SWOSU closes out the regular season with their second rivalry match of the week against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday night.
