Southeastern Sweeps NWOSU for First GAC Win

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern picks up its first GAC win on Tuesday night, as the Savage Storm defeated the Rangers of Northwestern Oklahoma State 3-0.
 
Gabby Jones was red-hot all match, pacing the blue and gold with a season-high 19 kills and adding eight digs and two blocks to her totals. Faith Kruebbe and Maci Morrison chipped in nine and seven kills, respectively, while Morrison led the team with 3.0 total blocks. Jasmin Dion and Riley McFarland split the setting duties for the Storm and tallied 28 and 11 assists, respectively.
 
SET ONE
Southeastern trailed the Rangers early, as the visitors took an 8-4 lead, which soon turned into an 11-5 gap moments later. From there, the two sides went point for point, with NWOSU holding its edge, but a flurry of points for the blue and gold tied the frame 18-all after a 7-1 burst. Southeastern eventually found its first lead of the frame with a kill from Kruebbe, sparking a 4-1 run, which was capped off by a point from Williams to push SE ahead 22-21.
 
However, the Rangers tied the set again at 22-21 and later would take the lead 25-24. The Storm had another answer to regain the edge 26-25, and back-to-back kills from Jones and Kruebbe secured the set 28-26 for Southeastern.  
 
SET TWO
The two teams traded blows to start the second frame, with NWOSU opening up with a 4-0 run and were followed by a 4-0 burst from the Storm, with SE leading 6-5. The lead flipped back in favor of Northwestern, but five straight points by Southeastern would propel the blue and gold back on top, 16-13.
 
SE and NWOSU continued to battle with the Rangers getting within one on a 3-0 run, and would use another flurry of points to grab a 20-19 advantage. Northwestern remained in front and got to set-point at 24-21, but the Storm came roaring back, building a 5-0 run, featuring three kills by Jones, to win the set 26-24 after defending two set points.

SET THREE
A back-and-forth start to the third frame had Northwestern ahead 12-9 before SE tied the set 12-all with the hot hand of Jones, who slammed down three straight kills to even the frame. The Rangers went back in front, with SE staying on their heels and a burst of points for Southeastern would give the blue and gold a 20-18 after two consecutive errors by the visitors.
 
Despite late pressure from NWOSU, who tied the set 22-all, Southeastern closed out the frame with three straight points to complete the sweep with a 25-22 set victory. Southeastern (6-6, 1-1) turns its attention north, as it heads to Ada, Okla., to take on East Central on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.