Box Score
BETHANY — Throw out the first set and Southern Nazarene played one of its most complete matches of the season as it defeated Mid-America Christian, 3-1 (21-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-23).
The Crimson Storm (19-11, 4-5 SAC) got another huge night from Ellen Martin who seems to be stepping back into her element once again. The sophomore ripped a career-high 18 kills and hit a career-high .455 to lead the way for SNU. Danielle Hampton matcher her career-high in kills with 13 as she hit .435 and was just two digs shy of a double-double with eight. She also added a trio of aces.
Morgan Loewen added 12 kills while Taryn Steele nearly averaged 10 assists per set with a match-high 38 assists. She also recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 11 digs. Sarah Groesbeck recorded a match-high 14 digs.
The Crimson Storm posted their highest hitting percentage of the conference season with a .341 (57-15-123) clip. The two best sets came in the second and third when SNU hit .424 (16-2-33) in the second and an unbelievable .727 (16-0-22) in the third.
MACU never trailed in the first set, but didn't take a lead bigger than six until late in the set. The Crusaders took their biggest lead of the set at 21-13, but the Crimson Storm scored five straight on two Martin kills, a kill each from Steele and Hampton and an ace from Loewen to make it 21-18. SNU cut it to one at 22-21 after a MACU error, a Groesbeck ace and a Hampton kill, but the Crusaders closed out the first set with four straight kills to take the 1-0 match lead.
SNU trailed just once in the first set and that was after MACU used a 5-1 run to take a 6-4 lead. The Storm answered by scoring four straight that included a pair of kills from Steele to take a 10-6 lead. The Crusaders scored two straight to make it 10-8 before SNU closed out the set with a 15-6 run to tie the match at 1-1.
MACU held a 12-11 lead midway through the third before the Crimson Storm erupted with a 14-3 run to take the set. The run was sparked by an Angela Evans kill and also featured a trio of kills from Hampton and Loewen each as well. Kira Roberts also ripped two kills late in the run.
The Crimson Storm saved not necessarily the best for last, but at least it was the most dramatic. Trailing 7-6 early in the fourth, MACU looked to be cruising for a fifth set after it used a 13-4 run to take a 19-11 lead and had already forced both SNU timeouts.
The Crimson Storm didn't go away.
Roberts started a late run with a kill before five straight errors brought the Storm right back into the match at 19-16. Hampton made it 19-17 with a kill and after the Crusaders made it 20-17, Hampton scored the next two with a kill and an ace to make it 20-19. A MACU error made tied at 20 before the Crusaders scored two straight two lead 22-20. After a service error cut the SNU deficit to 22-21, the Storm took their first lead at 23-22 on back-to-back kills by Loewen and Evans. Another Loewen kill made it 24-22 before a service error sealed the match for SNU.
The Crimson Storm are now in a tie for fifth with John Brown which sets up Thursday's trip to Siloam Springs, Ark., nicely. SNU took the Golden Eagles down in five back in September in the Sawyer Center.
