Mills Posts Big Matches in SE Losses

EDMOND, Okla. – D'Nari Mills posted back-to-back 20-kill outings but it was not quite enough to lift Southeastern to a win on Saturday afternoon as the Savage Storm dropped a 3-0 matchup to host Central Oklahoma before finishing the weekend with a heartbreaking 3-1 loss to Emporia State at the UCO-OC Classic.
 
The losses drop the Savage Storm to 1-7 to open the season heading into the team's Great American Conference opener on Sept. 6 against Southern Nazarene in Bethany, Okla.
 
In the opener versus UCO, Mills put together 21 kills over three sets, leading all attackers in the match while hitting .321 and collecting just over half the team's total kills for the match.
 
Maci Morrison was next in line with seven kills, while Jessica Hardin added six.
 
McKenzie Turkoly and Ruthie Forson split the setting duties with Turkoly handing out 18 assists while Forson chipped in 13.
 
Amaya Constantino led the defense on the back row with 22 digs, while Mills and Patience Lewis picked up 11 apiece.
 
Michera Moffett, Morrison, and Faith Kruebbe each posted two blocks.
 
SE was slow off the blocks with a 25-14 loss in set one, but pushed the Bronchos hard in set two, edging out to a 21-17 lead before seeing the host team take eight of the final 10 points, swiping the set 25-23.
 
The Storm again took a lead into the final 10 points of the set, ultimately fighting off a match-point, only to see its own set point come up short before UCO would take the clinching set 27-25.
 
In the weekend finale, Mills put together her best effort of the young season with 25 kills, while Hardin added 11, with Morrison finishing with eight versus Emporia State.
 
Turkoly led the setters with 25 assists while Forson was right on her heels with 22 while adding seven kills.
 
Constantino put together a 24 dig effort to lead the Storm on defense, while Kruebbe added 19, Lewis chipped in 16, and Mills finished with 11.
 
At the net, Forson and Morrison each posted three blocks.
 
Southeastern took six of the final 10 points, including the final two on back-to-back kills by Mills to win the first set 25-23.
 
Set two went to bonus volleyball as the team's traded failed set points before ESU scored the final three points to secure the 28-26 win to tie the match at 1-1.
 
A 9-1 run by the Hornets in the third set would give them a big lead on the way to taking the set 25-18.
 
The fourth set was a back-and-forth dogfight as SE took a 23-21 lead but saw ESU tie the set.
 
From that point on SE would have three set points but were unable to close the set out, and would ultimately fight off one match point by ESU before the Hornets would take the set 29-27 and the match 3-1.