SE Postseason Run Ends in Title Game

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Southeastern saw its stunning postseason run come to a premature end on Saturday afternoon in a 3-0 loss to southern Nazarene in the Great American Conference Tournament title game in Hot Springs, Ark.
 
With the loss the Savage Storm finish the season 15-17, but closed by winning seven of their last nine, including a four-match winning streak that included the upset victory over top-seeded Harding and the program's first semifinal victory to earn a berth in the title game.
 
Abby Jameson led the SE offense with 11 kills while hitting .258, while Karine Cavalcante and Julia Benford added six kills each.
 
Alissa Benson dished out 21 assists on the teams 34 kills and added a pair of kill and an ace on offense with three blocks and nine digs on defense.
 
Caitlin Cosby topped 20 digs for the third-straight postseason match, finishing with 20 in the match to lead all defenders, with Benson's nine next in line followed by eight from Cavalcante.
 
Benson and Benford each tallied three blocks, as did Cavalcante, while Jameson added a pair.
 
The first set featured back-and-forth runs throughout the match, with four straight point eventually putting SNU out to a 22-21 lead.  The Storm would grab the next three points on a Cavalcante kill, a Crimson Storm error and a Benson ace to go up 24-22, but SNU would take the final four points to steal the first set 26-24.
 
Southeastern responded well early in the second set, powering out to a 16-8 lead midway through the set. However, the Crimson Storm answered with a 13-0 run to flip a deficit into a 21-16 lead.  They would hold off SE to open up a 2-0 lead with a 25-21 win in the set.
 
Undaunted, the Storm looked to get control of the third set but the teams traded the lead early before SNU edged ahead and pulled away to a 25-18 win in the final set to take the match 3-0.
 
Benson and Jameson earned all-tournament honors for their performances on the weekend.