BETHANY, Okla. — Southern Nazarene knew it was going to take some time to gel with many new players and after big pieces left from a Great American Conference Championship team a year ago.
 
Things might be coming together for SNU after it recorded its third straight win in its first 5-set match of conference play this year. The Crimson Storm (9-8, 4-1 GAC) notched its first win this year in a 5-set match as it defeated Ouachita Baptist, 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 19-25, 15-12).
 
Kylie Smith posted a career-high 62 assists, the third most in a single-match in school history, as she led the way for the Storm. She also had 20 digs for her ninth double-double of the season. Kayla Thomas had career-high 21 kills and hit .390 as she added two blocks as well. Bailee Turang posted her eighth double-double with 19 kills and 14 digs while Meagan Ellis notched her third double-double with 17 kills and 14 digs. Ellis chipped in with three of SNU's six aces as well. Makenna Hunter also added nine kills and a pair of blocks. Elyse Berlin had 22 digs while Hannah Davis had 12.
 
SNU hit .232 and had 88 digs compared to Ouachita's 69, but the Storm got out blocked 10-4.
 
In the opening set, SNU led 20-14 before Ouachita closed the set on an 11-2 run to take a 1-0 lead in the match. In the second set, SNU nearly led from start to finish as its only deficit was 1-0. The Storm answered with a 9-3 run capped by a Turang kill to lead 9-4 and never gave the lead back. The Tigers came no closer than three at 12-9 before SNU put it away.
 
Ouachita jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the third and led 12-7 when Turang sparked an 11-3 run to give the Storm an 18-15 lead. The Tigers closed it to one on two different occasions, but SNU closed the set on a 5-2 run, capped by an Ellis kill, to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Ouachita answered back though in the fourth. SNU led 18-17 late in the set, but the Tigers got hot late with an 8-1 run to close the set and forced a fifth set.
 
In the fifth set there were 10 ties with the final with the last one coming at 11-11. That when Turang ripped back-to-back kills to force a Tigers' timeout. SNU got another kill by Smith to get match point before Turang closed it out.