DURANT, Okla. – Southern Nazarene faced a tough loss in Durant Tuesday evening after returning to conference play, falling in four sets to Southeastern Oklahoma State.
 
The Crimson Storm (9-4, 1-1 GAC) had been rolling with a five-game win streak as of late but were stunned on the road as the Savage Storm (5-7, 1-1 GAC) bounced back from an opening set loss to power through three straight sets, handing SNU its first GAC loss of the 2023 season. After escaping the Savage Storm in set 1, the Crimson Storm never caught a rhythm in the next three sets, having to play catchup until the match was too far out of reach.
 
SNU came out attacking right from the opening serve, leading by as many six before SEOSU built up a fight. Three straight SNU attack errors put the Savage Storm behind 21-18 and forced SNU to take a timeout. Another scoring run put SOESU behind just a single point, but the Storm held up defensively and Rayanna Mauldin sent down a kill at match point, handing SNU the first set 25-21.
 
Southeastern made it a harder match in the next set, maintaining a small lead early in the set that eventually stretched to four by the midpoint. Behind 18-14, SNU attempted a comeback, but three consecutive kills from the Savage Storm and an SNU attack error sealed their fate in set 2 and SEOSU tied the match with a 25-18 set win.
 
SNU's rhythm became spotty in set three after a 6-0 run by the Savage Storm set them back by seven points. Southeastern's offense shined the remainder of the set, building numerous scoring runs with five consecutive kills as a highlight. The rounds of good play from the Savage Storm left a Crimson Storm recovery out of reach and SEOSU stole set 3, 25-10.
 
The Savage Storm's previous two sets put them in good spirits for the fourth set, but SNU did not back down. SNU held a 6-5 lead to start the fourth set, but the Savage Storm strung together eight consecutive points to explode for a 13-6 lead. SNU continued to claw their way back in, cutting the deficit down to just points, but SEOSU continued to capitalize on SNU errors to fuel their attack. SEOSU's lead was too far out of reach, and they snatched set 4, 25-19, to win the match 3-1.
 
Sunny Batschelett led SNU with 13 kills and Rayanna Mauldin tallied 10.
 
GAC Setter of the Week Kaley Brubaker notched 3 assists in the match while Madeline Lynch and Tatum Smith each had double-digit assists with 17 and 12, respectively.
 
Up Next
 
Southern Nazarene will be in search of a bounce-back match as they host Northwestern Oklahoma State inside the Sawyer Center on September 21^st at 7 p.m. The Rangers won in five sets to the Savage Storm on September 12^th and picked up a win over Oklahoma Baptist to start 2-0 in the conference. The Crimson Storm and the Rangers have split the matches historically, each tallying 10 wins and 10 losses since the two teams first met in 2012.