Box Score (Match 1)
Box Score (Match 2)

BETHANY, Okla. — When that many new ladies step on the court at one time, it might be expected to take time to begin to figure everything out. If Friday's season opener was any clue of how quickly Southern Nazarene is figuring things out, it's not going to take long.

The Crimson Storm (2-0) breezed through Bethel (Kan.) in its first match of the season, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-20), and despite the gas tank beginning to hit E late, SNU pulled out a four-setter with Southwestern Assemblies of God, 3-1 (25-21, 25-12, 23-25, 25-22).

SNU didn't waste much time with Bethel. The Storm recorded just nine errors all match as they hit .307 (40-9-101). Taylor Jacobs had a grand debut as she led the way with a .733 clip (11-0-15) and added seven digs and a pair of blocks as well. Natalia Oliveria was right behind with 10 kills, five digs and three aces. SNU nearly had three players with double-figure kills as Ellen Martin posted nine and would have had a double-double with one more kill as she had 10 digs as well.

Kaylee Piatt also shined in her first match for the Storm with 37 assists and four digs.

SNU hit .290 (10-1-31) in the opening set and then blistered the Threshers in the second with a .419 hitting percentage (15-2-31). The Storm rolled from there in the third.

SNU trailed early in the first, but jumped out to a 13-8 lead on a 12-2 run capped by a Jacobs kill. Bethel closed it to three on a handful of occasions, but never could overcome SNU in the first. Bethel led 9-6 early in the second set before Kira Roberts sparked a 5-2 run to tie it at 11. After five more ties, SNU used a 4-1 run to lead 21-17 and didn't let up from there. The Storm trailed again early in the third at 4-1, but after an 8-2 run gave SNU a 9-6 lead, the Storm didn't look back.

In the nightcap SNU's legs begin to weaken after the second set. The Storm were rolling through the first two sets and hit .333 (15-3-36) in the second and nearly put the match away in three sets after leading 32-21 in third. SAGU answered though by scoring the final four points of the set to force a fourth set. In the fourth set it wasn't until back-to-back Roberts' kills, that gave the Storm a 22-20 lead, that SNU gained back control of the match. SNU forced a pair of errors and Piatt got the final point of the match with setter's dump to seal it.

Martin approached a career-high as she ripped 15 kills to lead the way for SNU and notched the first double-double of the season with 19 digs. Oliveira matched Martin with 15 kills as well and added seven digs. Roberts rounded out the triple-threat with 10 kills of her own. Piatt and Jamie Hope each had seven kills as Piatt dished out a match-high 44 assists to go with 12 digs for her first double-double of the season. Piatt also added four aces.

KateLyn Biddy tied a career-high with 20 digs on the night. Jacobs added four blocks while Hope added three. SNU as a team had six blocks and out dug SAGU 73-69.

SNU will now take on College of the Ozarks (Mo.), a team SNU Head Coach Kevin Ingram has never defeated, at 10 a.m. tomorrow before closing the weekend with a 2 p.m. match against Tabor (Kan.).