SHAWNEE, Okla. – Southeastern fell to No. 24 Oklahoma Baptist in the first Great American Conference match of the season, 3-0, in the Noble Complex.
 
The blue and gold attacked at a .188 clip, led by Nykeriah Allen and Layla Wilson with eight kills each. Allen also paced the defense at the net with 3.0 total blocks, while Gabby Jones totaled 2.0 denials and added seven kills to her totals. Patience Lewis racked up 25 digs, and Jonse would join in double figures with 11.
 
Southeastern (4-5, 0-1 GAC) turns its attention to the GAC/MIAA Crossover on September 10-11. SE will play two matches in Edmond, Okla., against No. 22 Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State and one in Shawnee versus Fort Hays State.
 
SET ONE
The Storm and Bison were battling early, locked at 4-4 and later 10-10 after kills by Anger Ngeth, Wilson and Rylee Jackson. After trading blows, Oklahoma Baptist was the first to find separation with a 6-0 run to push out to a 17-11 lead, which soon grew to 22-14. SE chipped into the Bison advantage through three straight points, including kills from Ngeth and Jackson, but OKBU would close out the set to take it 25-18.
 
SET TWO
Southeastern opened the scoring before the two sides traded runs, as the blue and gold built a 5-0 flurry with two kills by Wilson to regain the lead, 9-6. The Bison answered back and reeled off another run of scores for the fifth lead change of the set to take an 11-9 edge and later a 15-12 lead. From there, SE and OKBU matched each other in scoring before SE took the lead on a 3-0 burst, 20-19. However, the Bison found momentum late and built a 6-2 run to win the second stanza 25-22.
 
SET THREE
SE came out swinging in set three to take a 13-9 lead behind two kills from both Allen and Ngeth. The Storm continued to hold their advantage at 17-15 after a block by Jones and Allen and an OKBU error, but the Bison began to heat up as they grabbed the lead in the set at 22-18. A pair of kills by Jackson pulled the blue and gold within three, but despite the late pressure by the blue and gold, OKBU held its edge to match point, 25-21.