Storm Fall to DBU in Non-Conference Tilt

DURANT, Okla. – Despite out-killing and out-digging its opponent for the match, Southeastern looked to rally after early errors left them trailing 2-0, but were unable to complete a comeback in a 3-1 loss to Dallas Baptist on Tuesday night in Bloomer Sullivan Gymnasium.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 5-8 overall on the season as the team returns to Great American Conference play on Oct. 7 when it travels to Magnolia, Ark., to take on Southern Arkansas at 6 p.m.
 
Southeastern finished the match with 54 digs to DBU's 46, but were saddled with 29 total errors compared to 15.
 
Skylor Lewis led the Storm offense with 13 kills, while Caroline Griffith added 11 kills and hit .526 in the process with just one error.
 
Mya Afflerbach added nine kills and Jessie Steele finished with seven.
 
Ruthie Forson turned in a double-double from the setter position, led by a 42 assist effort distributing the ball while adding 14 digs on defense. She also chipped in five kills and a pair of blocks.
 
Defensively, the Storm had a foursome of players with double-digit digs on their way to 82 as a team, besting the Patriot by 14 on the night.
 
Grace Shehadeh led all defenders with 22 in the match, while Lewis completed her own double-double with 16, followed by 14 each from Micah Stiggers and Forson.
 
Griffith and Afflerbach led the defense at the net with three blocks each.
 
The opening set was back and forth with the Storm on the attack and ultimately pushing out to a 14-012 lead which coerced a DBU timeout. Out of that timeout the momentum flipped as the Patriot reeled off nine-straight points and ultimately would score 13 of the final 16 points to take the set 25-17.
 
A pair of shorter runs would help DBU in set two, the first being a 5-1 run that left the Storm trailing 15-10. The second came as SE closed the gap to 17-14 with the Patriots going on another 5-1 run to go ahead 22-15 before winning the set 25-19.
 
Southeastern found its answer in the third set and after the teams played to a 10-10 tie, the Storm would use an 11-2 run to mount a 21-12 lead before taking the set 25-20 to close the deficit to 2-1.
 
DBU opened the fourth set with a 4-1 run and SE found itself playing catch up the entire match. The gap would close to 9-7 early before a 7-2 Patriot run would stretch the lead to 17-9. The Storm would whittle away at the deficit, closing the gap to three points three different times before DBU pulled out the 25-21 win in the set to clinch the match.