ADA, Okla. - The Southern Nazarene volleyball team cruised to a sweep of East Central on the road on Tuesday evening, earning a pivotal GAC win as they moved into the sixth place with the opportunity to still climb the standings in the closing weeks.

SNU hit .273 as a team including over .300 in the final two sets, going for 46 total kills on 110 total attacks. The Crimson Storm held East Central to only 23 kills and 13 errors on 83 attacks for a .120 hitting percentage.

As a team, SNU doubled East Central's total kills and nearly doubled them in assists as well. SNU had 12 service aces to ECU's 23. The two team's were even in digs at 41 while East Central held a slight 6-4 advantage in blocks.

Both teams were a little cold in the first set as the Tigers took advantage of 11 SNU errors to open up a lead as large as four at one point. Southern Nazarene chipped away at the deficit as the set tightened in the closing moments.

With the Tigers leading 23-22, SNU got a kill from sophomore Kayla Thomas followed by a block by senior Makenna Hunter and junior Bailee Turang. East Central followed with an attack error to give SNU the set and a 1-0 lead.

From there, the Crimson Storm turned it on as they went for 13 kills to only one error in the second set, hitting .387 as a team. The Crimson Storm rallied for the first six points of the second set and eventually opened up a 9-1 lead.

SNU never looked back, dominating the set and giving East Central no chance of a rally. The Crimson Storm would close the set with a service ace from sophomore Meagan Ellis to win 25-15 and take a 2-0 lead.

The momentum carried over to the third set as the team went for 17 kills to four errors, hitting .342 to close the set. At one point early in the third set, the Crimson Storm scored 10 of 12 points to open up an 11-5 lead. East Central battled back to get it within one at 14-13, but SNU was too much on the night as they pulled away, thanks in part to a six point rally, to take the set and the match, 25-18.

Hunter finished with 12 kills and only one error for an astounding .524 hitting percentage while Turang also added 12 kills. Thomas picked up nine kills while junior Kylie Smith had 37 assists to go with a match-leading four service aces. Turang and Ellis each had three service aces as well.

Defensively, Turang and freshman Logan Matthews each came away with 11 digs in the match. Hunter and Ellis had three blocks each.

Southern Nazarene moves back over .500 both overall, at 15-14, and in the GAC, at 7-6. They return home on Thursday for their annual Dig Pink match in awareness of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Crimson Storm will take on Southeastern Oklahoma State with first serve set for 7 PM. All fans attending our encouraged to wear pink.