SE Ends Season With First-Round Loss at GAC Tourney

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – No. 7 seed Southeastern was never able to find its momentum on Thursday afternoon as it dropped its Great American Conference Tournament opener against second-seeded Southwestern Oklahoma State, 3-0, on Thursday afternoon in Hot Springs, Ark.
 
The loss brings the Savage Storm season to a close with an 8-19 record following its second-straight conference tournament berth.
 
Caroline Gr4iffith and Ruthie Forosn each had six kills to lead the way for Southeastern, while Mya Afflerbach was next in line with four.
 
Forson added 15 assists and chipped in five digs in the effort from her setter position.
 
Grace Shehadeh led the defense on the back row with 11 digs while McKenzie Turkoly added seven. Griffith and Micah Stiggers each finished with six.
 
At the net, Griffith turned in a team-high three blocks.
 
Griffith put up three first-set kills to lead the Storm, but SE was unable to answer a pair of five-point runs by SWOSU who would go on to take the opening set 25-16.
 
The Storm fell victim to a 17-4 run over the first half of the second set, but bounced back late in the set with a 9-3 run capped by an Afflerbach kill, closing the gap to 22-15, but were unable to pull off the full comeback in a 25-16 loss in the set, falling behind 2-0.
 
In the early going of the third set the Storm stayed close, trailing 8-7 after a block by Jocelyn Grewing and Griffith. Unfortunately, SWOSU would answer with a point and reel off nine-straight as part of a 17-3 run to close out the set and the match.