Storm Falls 3-1 in Return to Action

BETHANY, Okla. – Skylor Lewis led Southeastern with 13 kills in the Savage Storm return to the court on Thursday night, but it was not enough to lift SE past Southern Nazarene in a 3-1 loss in Bethany, Okla.
 
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 0-3 on the season and the team will next be in action March 16 when it returns to Bloomer Sullivan Gymnasium to host Northwestern Oklahoma State at 7 p.m.
 
Lewis finished the match with a double-double, collecting a team-leading 13 kills and pacing the defense as well with 16 digs.
 
Caroline Griffith also reached double-digits in kills with 10, while Aleksandra Rodic was just short with nine.
 
Ruthie Forson triggered the offense to the tune of 37 assists and tacked on six digs, four kills, and two service aces.
 
Defensively, Lewis' 16 digs led the back row, while Grace Shehadeh added 11 digs, while Jessie Steele and Jocelyn Grewing each collected a block.
 
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair until SNU put together five-straight points to mount a 13-7 lead.
 
SE answered with a 9-3 run to close the gap and would finish off the comeback by scoring the final five points in the set for a 25-20 set win and a 1-0 lead.
 
The Crimson Storm would jump out to a 12-4 lead in set two and the Storm never completely recovered but did win eight of the final 13 points to close the gap to 25-18 and evening the match at 1-1.
 
In the third set, SNU would use an early 9-2 run to take the lead. SE would look to mount a rally late with four-straight points, but the Crimson Storm would take the final five points and the set 25-16.
 
The home team again ran out to a 4-0 lead to open the fourth set and would lead by as many as seven points before SE closed the gap to 16-12.  Unfortunately, SNU would take the next six points, and pick up the set 25-16.