DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern wins a thriller at home in five sets over Southern Nazarene after winning a back-and-forth fifth set.  
 
The Savage Storm attack was led by a career-high 20 kills by Gabby Jones, who added 12 digs to her totals for a double-double. Rylee Jackson joined Jones in double-figure kills with 19, and Sophee Dean slammed down a season-best 12 kills on a .393 attack average. Quarterbacking the attack, Jasmin Dion passed around a career-high 50 assists and would tally 16 digs for a double-double.
 
Nykeriah Allen was a wall at the net for the SE defense, recording 6.0 total blocks to add to six kills. Patience Lewis led the back row with 36 assists and paced the team with three service aces.
 
SET ONE
The blue and gold took advantage of early miscues by the visiting Crimson Storm to take a 6-3 lead, but SNU quickly tied the set 6-all and later 10-all before taking a 12-10 edge. The two sides remained back and forth, but the Southern Nazarene lead soon grew to 20-14 after a flurry of points. The visitors held their lead to set point, despite a late run of scores by SE, to win 25-20.
 
SET TWO
Like the start of the first set, SE and SNU were matching each other in scoring with the frame tied 4-4 and later 8-8. Neither side could find a breakthrough, as the set saw two more ties, locked at 15-all. Southeastern soon began to find momentum through back-to-back kills by Jackson and, a third not long after, pushed the blue and gold ahead 21-18. Dean hammered down the next Savage Storm point to help SE outscore SNU 4-2 in the final rallies to pull a set back, 25-21.
 
SET THREE
Southern Nazarene used early runs in the third stanza to set up a 12-8 lead, but the Savage Storm replied with a 5-1 run featuring a pair of kills by Dean to tie the set 13-13. SNU answered back almost immediately with a 5-0 run to jump back ahead 20-15, but again Southeastern stormed back to cut the deficit to one, 21-20, behind three more Jackson kills. However, the late pressure by the blue and gold would not be enough, as Southern Nazarene held off SE to claim a 25-23 set win.
 
SET FOUR
The Savage Storm were out of the gates quickly to start the fourth set, racing out to a 7-2 advantage. A pair of Jackson kills kept Southeastern ahead 12-7, but the Crimson Storm came roaring back to tie the frame at 16-all. Southern Nazarene eventually took the lead, but a kill by Dean sparked a 4-0 run to push SE to set point 24-21, and Jones would cap off the set win with the final kill, 25-23.
 
SET FIVE
SE and SNU traded leads to get the final set started, and Southeastern would hold the first advantage at 8-5 after four straight kills by Jones. SNU continued to battle, tying the set 12-all and 13-all, but a block by Allen closed the door on the Crimson Storm to secure a 15-13 set win for the Savage Storm.
 
Southeastern (7-9, 2-3 GAC) remains at home on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 6 p.m., when Southern Arkansas visits Bloomer Sullivan Gym.