SE Set to Host South Central Classic

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern will look to get back in the win column when it opens play in the South Central Classic which opens on Friday at noon in Bloomer Sullivan Arena and continues through Saturday.
 
The Savage Storm open play in the tournament at 2 p.m. on Friday when they host Langston, and will close out Friday with a 7 p.m. matchup against No. 7 Washburn.
 
SE opens Saturday play at 10 a.m. with a rematch against Central Oklahoma and will close out competition at 4 p.m. against Missouri Southern State.
 
The Storm will split hosting duties with rival East Central which will host games Friday and Saturday as well in Ada, Okla.
 
Southeastern comes into the contest with a 2-3 record on the season following a loss in the Great American Conference opener against Southwestern which saw the team rally from a 2-0 deficit to fall 15-13 in the fifth set.
 
Emily Gentle and Megan Kunkel lead the way for the Storm with Gentle posting 3.68 kills per set and Kunkel right behind at 3.42 kps.
 
Courtney Miller and Julia Benford are each averaging over two kps and SE as a team is out-killing opponents 13.74-to-12.42 while hitting .249 as a team.
 
Alissa Benson has handled the bulk of the setting duties out of the gate, earning GAC Setter of the Week honors following her opening weekend performance and is averaging 11.17 assists per set on the season.
 
Defensively Kelsey Zerkel leads the back row with 4.58 digs per set, while Kunkel is at 3.42 and the trio of Gentle, Benson and Charlene Nerio are each averaging over two per set.
 
At the net Ariel Sanders has racked up 18 blocks, averaging 0.95 blocks per set, while Gentle has chipped in 13.
 
Langston comes into the weekend with a 2-3 record and is led offensively by Amber Warren who is averaging 2.76 kills per set, while Jelena Merseli paces the setters with 6.28 assists per set.
 
Juliana Tomasoni leads the defense with 2.33 digs per set, while Warren has posted 29 blocks on the year.
 
Washburn enters as the seventh-ranked team in the nation with a 4-0 record and is led on offense by  Marissa Cox at 3.33 kps and Leanna Willer at 3.08 kps, while Natalie Bates and Liz Powell split the setting duties with 5.58 aps and 5.50 aps, respectively.
 
Alyssa Carney leads the team on the back row with 5.64 digs per set, while Mattie-Ann Swenson paces the team at the net with 17 blocks.
 
Central Oklahoma comes into the weekend with a 6-0 record and is paced offensively by Allison Barr who is posting 3.31 kills per set, while Katy Davis is dishing out 11.53 assists per set.
 
On defense the Bronchos are led by Whitney Gifford along the back row with 4.16 digs per set, while Juliette Smith has 19 blocks on the season.
 
Missouri Southern State enters the weekend 1-3 and led on offense by Krishna Merriman at 2.88 kps and Katie Politte at 2.56 kps, while Abby Finder is dishing out 8.31 assists per set.
 
Katie Wiele is averaging 5.12 digs per set on the back row, while Callie Whetstone has piled up 29 blocks on the year so far.