ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southeastern Oklahoma completes the first day of the Reddie-Tiger Invitational. The Storm fell 3-1 in both matches against Mississippi College and St. Mary's.
SE wraps up the Reddie-Tiger Invitational with two matches tomorrow at the Sturgis Physical Education Center against Missouri S&T at 10 a.m. and Montevallo at 3:30 p.m.
D'Nari Mills posted back-to-back double-doubles, recording 13 kills and 10 digs in the first match, followed by 19 kills and 11 digs in the second.
Ruthie Forson combined for 67 assists and tallied 16 digs. Forson also led the team across the two matches with three service aces.
Noelia Rocha notched 17 kills, while
Amaya Constantino had 19 digs.
MATCH ONE: MC 3, SE 1
SET ONE
A slow start to the opening frame saw the Storm trailing Mississippi College 7-1 at the first break after an SE timeout. The Choctaws remained on the front foot, extending their lead to 13-3 and later 18-6. Mississippi College stayed in control for the final rallies of the frame, taking the first set 25-14.
SET TWO
The momentum switched to Southeastern's side in the second set, as the Storm jumped ahead 6-2, following a pair of attack errors by MC. SE continued to hold its advantage through the next exchanges, with two kills from
Maci Morrison and Forson to make it 11-7. Forson remained the hot hand, slamming down two more kills during a 4-0 run to put the Storm within striking distance of a set win, 20-17.
Mississippi College quickly replied with an 8-1 burst to erase the gap and take a one-point lead, 22-21. An error by the Choctaws tied the frame 22-all, and two kills by Rocha helped the Storm to a 25-23 win, tying the match 1-1.
SET THREE
Little separated the two sides through the early exchanges, with six ties in the first 16 points. A 3-0 run by MC gave them slight breathing room, but it would not last as the Storm locked things up at 12-all. Mississippi College found the lead again at 17-13, following a 5-1 run, and would stretch its lead to six moments later, 22-16. MC closed out the set with three straight points to take the third frame 25-17.
SET FOUR
Southeastern trailed 5-2 at the beginning of the fourth set but would soon tie the frame 6-6 after kills from Mills and
Alaina Armstrong. Mississippi College found separation through back-to-back runs to make it 13-8 and later 16-10, but the Storm roared back on a 6-0 burst, featuring two kills by Rocha and a pair of service aces from Forson to tie the frame 16-16. The Choctaws broke the deadlock on a 5-1 burst to lead 22-18 and would end the frame on a 3-1 run to win the final set 25-20.
MATCH TWO: StMU 3, SE 1
SET ONE
Southeastern and St. Mary's traded blows in the early exchanges before the Storm jumped out in front 10-6 after four kills by Rocha. SE continued to keep the pressure on the Rattlers, stretching its lead to 15-9, as StMU only chained two or more points once the entire set. Southeastern closed out the frame on a 8-0 run, featuring two kills by Rocha and Morrison to take the set 25-11.
SET TWO
The Storm held the lead to start the second frame 5-2 and kept a slim edge over St. Mary's at 13-12 after kills by Rocha and Armstrong. SE built itself a lead again on 5-0 burst, featuring two kills from Mills to stretch its edge to 18-13.
St. Mary's came roaring back, starting with a 3-0 burst, and would outscore Southeastern 8-1 in the final nine points of the set to win 25-22 and tie the match 1-1.
SET THREE
Southeastern was quick out of the gates in set three, racing ahead to a 7-1 lead behind three kills by Mills. The Rattlers matched SE's fast start with a 6-0 run to tie the frame 7-7, and the set would stay close with the frame locked at 13-13. The two teams went point for point before the Rattlers found a 7-1 run to lead 24-19 and would win the frame 25-20.
SET FOUR
It was St. Mary's turn for a fast start, jumping out to an 11-3 lead. The Storm cut the Rattlers lead to six points on a 4-1 run, 17-11. Southeastern continued to chip away at StMU's lead on a 6-1 burst to slash the Rattlers' advantage to four, 22-18. St. Mary's attack would prove to much as they secured the final three points to win 25-19.
