ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Southern Nazarene volleyball team split the first two sets with Ouachita Baptist before the Tigers responded by taking the final two sets as the Crimson Storm dropped a GAC road contest, 25-20, 26-28, 25-22, 25-13, on Friday evening in Arkadelphia.

SNU finished with 50 kills in the match, but 25 errors, in 152 total attacks for a .164 hitting percentage. On the other end, Ouachita finished with 55 kills, to only 22 errors, in 141 attacks for a .234 hitting percentage. The Tigers held the advantage in blocks, 10-8, and service aces, 8-6. They also had 73 total digs to the Storm's 58.

The Crimson Storm got off to a red-hot start as they jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the early part of set one. Ouachita would battle back and tie the match at nine before scoring the next five points to take a 14-9 lead.

Ouachita maintained that lead for the majority of the first set before SNU was able to make a run, getting the set down to 22-20. However, the Tigers would score the final three points to take ta 1-0 lead with a 25-20 victory.

In the second set, SNU jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Ouachita connected on the next seven points for a 7-3 lead. Ouachita again maintained that four point lead, eventually moving ahead 17-13 lead, but SNU had a huge response, scoring four straight points on three straight kills and a block to even the match at 17 all.

The Crimson Storm would move ahead 24-21, but the Tigers rallied in this back-and-forth set and evened it at 24. The two teams exchanged points before a kill by sophomore Meagan Ellis followed by an attack error from Ouachita gave the set to SNU and evened the game at one a piece after the epic 28-26 win.

The back-and-forth affair would continue into set three, a crucial set for both sides. Midway through the set, SNU built a 20-16 lead, but Ouachita rallied again, scoring four straight points, to tie the set at 20. After SNU went up 21-20, the Tigers scored five of the final six points to take the set and all of the momentum.

In the fourth set, Southern Nazarene got an early lead at 6-4, but never could find a rhythm as the Tigers ran away with the match, winning the set and the game, 25-13.

Ellis led the charge with 14 kills while sophomore Kayla Thomas added 12. Freshman Grace Miracle had 10 kills while senior Makenna Hunter had nine kills and a .300 hitting percentage, the highest among the Storm. Junior Kylie Smith had 41 assists and three service aces while Miracle added two.

Defensively, freshman Logan Matthews had 22 digs while Smith and Ellis each had 10. Hunter finished with five blocks while freshman Rachel Tichenor had four.

SNU goes to 11-10 on the season and 3-3 in GAC play. They will look to bounce back tomorrow afternoon as they head across the street in Arkadelphia to take on Henderson State at 2 PM.