Volleyball Splits First Day of Matches

ODESSA, Texas – Southeastern Oklahoma State splits the first day of the Dr. Steve Aicinena "Iceman" Invitational. After falling in five sets in the opening match to Texas-Permian Basin, the Savage Storm answered back with a 3-0 sweep of Sul Ross State.
 
In the first match of the day against UTPB, D'Nari Mills led the scoring with 17 kills, while Faith Kruebbe and Noelia Rocha each notched eight. Ruthie Forson picked up a double-double, recording 31 assists and 18 digs, and added seven kills to her totals. Patience Lewis led the back row with 19 of the team's 67 digs.
 
Against the Lobos in the second match, Mills racked up 16 kills, 4.0 total blocks and nine digs. Forson saw her second double-double of the day with 28 assists and ten kills. Lewis recorded four of the team's eight service aces, while Michera Moffett led the defense at the net with 5.0 total blocks.
 
Southeastern (2-4) wraps up the Dr. Steve Aicinena "Iceman" Invitational tomorrow at noon against New Mexico Highlands.
 
MATCH ONE: UTPB 3, SE 2
 
SET ONE
After falling behind 9-4, Southeastern exploded for five straight points, featuring two kills by Rocha to tie the frame 9-9, and later took the lead 13-11 on a 4-0 run to force an early UTPB timeout. The Falcons regrouped out of the break and tied things up 15-all, and from there, the set would remain back-and-forth with seven ties all the way to set point.
 
SE found its first set point of the frame at 24-22 after kills by Rocha and Andrea Urzua, but UTPB rattled off two straight points to tie the score at 24-all. The Storm took advantage of back-to-back attack errors by the Falcons to claim the first set 26-24.
 
SET TWO
Another tight set started deadlocked at 9-9 and later 12-all. Texas-Permian Basin was the first to find some separation on a 3-0 run to go ahead 15-12. UTPB held a two to three-point gap over the Storm through the next rallies and later extended its lead to four on a 2-0 burst to 21-17, forcing SE to use a timeout.
 
The Falcons continued to hold the momentum out of the break, scoring three of the final five points of the frame to even the match 1-1.
 
SET THREE
Texas-Permian Basin stayed hot in the third set, racing to a 7-3 lead. From there, the Falcons continued to dominate the set, extending their advantage to 14-7 and later 21-11. UTPB closed out the set with four consecutive points to secure the third frame 25-12.
 
SET FOUR
This time around it was the Storm who were quick out of the gates, as Southeastern led the frame 10-3 after three kills by Mills and two from Kruebbe. SE did not slow down, stretching its edge to ten, 16-6, thanks to a pair of kills by Maci Morrison. Mills picked up the pace again, slamming down three more kills in a 4-0 run to extend the gap to 12, 20-8. Southeastern capped off a dominant set with kills from Forson and Morrison to claim a 25-12 set victory.   
 
SET FIVE
The Storm held the first advantage of the set at 3-1, but the Falcons quickly took the lead on 8-1 run to lead 8-4. After switching sides, UTPB remained in control, closing out the frame on a 4-0 run to take the match 3-2 following a 15-6 set-five win.
 
MATCH TWO: SE 3, SRS 0
 
SET ONE
Southeastern scored the first four points of the first set, including back-to-back service aces by Lewis, and would lead 6-3 before a 3-0 run by Sul Ross State tied the set 6-6. The Storm replied with a 5-0 stretch, featuring two kills by Forson to give SE an 11-6 edge. Southeastern added to its lead following a timeout by the Lobos with a 4-0 run and would later take a commanding lead on a 6-0 burst, 22-9. SE scored the final two points to claim a 25-12 set victory
 
SET TWO
Sul Ross State led SE 5-4 through the first nine points, but the Storm would take control of the set on a 5-0 burst to lead 9-5. Southeastern added to its advantage on a 3-0 run before Mills slammed down three straight kills to stretch the blue-and-gold's lead to 17-9, forcing a timeout by Sul Ross State. SE did not slow down after the break, scoring four straight points to stretch the gap to 21-9. Mills, Rocha and Forson combined for the last three points to give SE a 25-12 set win.
 
SET THREE
Southeastern and Sul Ross State were locked at 5-all, and two quick points by the Storm pushed them in front  7-5, but the Lobos answered with a 6-0 burst to grab the lead 11-7 and force an SE timeout. The blue-and-gold tied the frame 12-12 on a 5-1 run, featuring a pair of kills by Morrison before another three kills by the Storm gave them the lead 15-13.
 
The Lobos kept close to the Storm, but SE never allowed the lead to slip, holding a two to three-point margin all the way to match point. Back-to-back kills from Mills and Forson completed the sweep for Southeastern, as SE won the final frame 25-21. Southeastern held a .365 attack average for the match, while Sul Ross State hit just .094 a clip.