SEARCY, Ark. - The Southern Nazarene volleyball team got off to a quick start, taking the first set from Harding, but could not maintain the momentum, dropping the next three sets and the match in four sets on Friday evening at Rhodes-Reaves Field House.

Both teams finished with 50 kills in the match, but SNU finished with 10 more errors for 27 for total and a .137 hitting percentage. Meanwhile, the Bisons had only 17 kills and a .204 hitting percentage. Harding held slight advantages in aces, 7-6, and digs, 81-80, but had 11 blocks on the night to the Storm's six. SNU had 48 total assists.

It was a terrific start for SNU as they used a lethal attack to jump out to a 10-3 lead early in the first set. The Bisons began to inch back into the match before a big run made it a point game at 14-13. However, the Crimson Storm remained composed, getting nine kills from junior Bailee Turang while hitting .233 as a team with 15 kills to hold off a Harding rally for a 25-21 win.

In the second set, Harding used a slew of rallies to build a sizable lead. The Crimson Storm battled back and got it down to three points at 22-19, but the Bisons scored the final three points to take the set, 25-19, evening the match.

In the third set, Harding was the aggressor again, jumping out to a 7-2 lead that eventually turned into a 10-4 lead. SNU cut the deficit down to two, but another big Harding run, this time midway through the set pushed their lead out to 20-13.

SNU would score five of the next six points to suddenly make it a 21-18 game. However, the teams would exchange the final few points as Harding put it away for a 25-21 win, moving ahead 2-1 in the match.

In the third set it was all Harding from the go as they led 11-4 early in the fourth set. SNU, down big in the set, did not give up as they put scrapped and clawed and eventually put together a run of scoring six of seven points to make it a three point game at 18-15. 

However, SNU just didn't have enough on this night to complete the comeback as Harding rallied to score seven of the final eight points to win the set, 25-16, and the match in four sets.

Turang cooled down after her hot first set, but still finished with 17 kills on the night while sophomore Kayla Thomas added 12 kills on .357 hitting. Sophomore Meagan Ellis had 11 kills while junior Kylie Smith had 42 assists and two service aces.

Defensively, freshman Logan Matthews had 22 digs while Turang and Smith each had 15. Ellis would go on to add 14 digs in the match. Senior Makenna Hunter had four blocks in the match while Smith had three and Thomas added two.

SNU moves to 13-13 overall and 5-5 in the GAC. They travel over to Russellville, Ark. tomorrow afternoon as they take on Arkansas Tech in GAC action at 2 PM.