HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Southern Nazarene has shed quite a few tears on the two Saturdays it has been able to play at the Great American Conference Championships inside the Bank of Ozarks Arena.
 
Two years ago, the Crimson Storm shed many tears of what could have been after watching a 7-point lead slip away in the fifth set. Saturday afternoon was filled with plenty of tears as well, but of a different variety. The bitter taste for the past two seasons that has troubled SNU is gone, wiped away, the slate has been cleaned after a 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-18) sweep of Southeastern Oklahoma State.
 
Head Coach Kevin Ingram became the first coach in school history to lead a team to a Great American Conference Tournament Championship and earn the school's second berth to an NCAA Tournament behind men's golf who did it in 2015. The longest winning streak in the conference continued to eight straight as the Storm swept its fourth straight opponent and did not lose a set the entire GAC Championships.
 
Abbey Bell was named the Championships MVP as she averaged 7.0 digs per set and had 10 total aces during SNU's run to the title. The senior finished with 18 digs and an ace on the day. McKayla Benner led the team with 15 kills and added four blocks while she hit .344.  Courtney Bowie added 10 kills and two blocks while Kaitlyn Bought and McKenna Qualls each had seven. Vought also added four blocks and 13 digs. Elyse Berlin went about her usual quiet manner in putting up loud numbers as the junior had 40 assists, six digs, five kills, two blocks and an ace.
 
The Crimson Storm had eight blocks and 50 digs on the night while hitting .246 (47-19-114).
 
The Crimson Storm staved off a pair of set points and won the final four points of the set to take the opening set 26-24. The set featured 11 ties and seven lead changes. SNU hit .333 in the set, thanks in large part to the efforts by Benner, Bowie and Berlin. They totaled 11 of the 16 kills and hit .429. Berlin added 11 assists and Vought served up a pair of aces.
 
Trailing 16-8, Southern Nazarene scored 13 straight points to seize control the set. The run started on a successful challenge by Ingram. During the run, Benner tallied three kills and Vought provided and a pair of aces. The Crimson Storm defense limited the Savage Storm to a .087 attack percentage. Benner collected five kills in the set and Berlin dished out 14 assists on SNU's 15 kills.
 
Southern Nazarene closed out the match by taking control early in the third set. The Crimson Storm took the lead for good after just three points. With the lead cut to 13-12, SNU won six of the next eight points to extend its lead. Southeastern never drew closer than three points the rest of the set. Benner put home her match-leading 15th kill to clinch the title.