Volleyball Opens GAC Slate with SWOSU

DURANT, Okla. – Right on the heels of its debut weekend, Southeastern volleyball will now open its Great American Conference schedule when it hosts Southwestern Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. in Bloomer Sullivan Gymnasium on Sept. 9.
 
The Savage Storm come into the contest at 2-2 on the young season after a solid outing in Arkadelphia, Ark., at the Lady Reddie College Classic.
 
SE opened the season and the coaching tenure of Brianna Barry with a 3-0 win over Union, but fell to Ft. Hays State in its second match 3-1.
 
Day two was similar to day one with the Storm downing McMurry 3-0 before suffering a 3-1 loss to Central Oklahoma in the finale.
 
Southeastern was paced on offense by Emily Gentle and Megan Kunkel who each averaged over three kills per set, while two others were over two per.
 
Gentle led the way at 3.93 kps and turned in a 23 kills performance against FHSU and is hitting .355 after four matches.
 
Kunkel opened with matches of 14 and 17 and is averaging 3.43 kps.
 
The Storm is averaging 14.29 kills per set as a team and hitting .261 together.
 
Alissa Benson has taken the setter role and opened her Southeastern career with a weekend in which she averaged 12.07 assists per set.
 
Defensively, Kelsey Zerkel led the back row with 4.86 digs per set, while Kunkel, Charlene Nerio, Benson and Gentle are each averaging 2.0 dps or better.
 
At the net Ariel Sanders leads the team with nine blocks after the first weekend, while Gentle is right behind at eight and Julia Benford at seven.
 
SWOSU opened its season 0-4, falling in three sets to Washburn, Molloy and Midwestern State before dropping its final match 3-1 to Colorado State-Pueblo.
 
Joey Collins leads the offense with 2.54 kps, with Carly Zak right behind at 2.46.
 
Brandy Mader handles the setting duties with 7.15 assists per set, while on defense Kaila Lancaster leads the back row with 4.54 dps and Taylor VabderWerff has a team-best seven blocks at the net.