DENTON, Texas - Southern Nazarene remains perfect on the 2026 season after picking up a pair of gritty wins over UT-Dallas and Westminster at the Denton Volleyfest to improve to 8-0.
Game 1
The Crimson Storm (8-0) held off the Comets (3-3) 25-21, 24-26, 15-25, 25-19, 16-14 in Denton to improve to 2-0 on the weekend.
SNU opened with control in set one, hitting .176 with 8 kills and just 2 errors to take the first set 25-21 while holding UT-Dallas to .111 despite 16 kills.
The Comets answered in the next two sets. UT-Dallas took a tight second set 26-24 with 12 kills, then hit .220 with 15 kills in the third to win 25-15 and take a 2-1 lead.
The Crimson Storm responded late. SNU posted its most efficient set of the match in the fourth, tallying 14 kills on just one error for a .542 clip to win 25-19 and force a fifth. The Storm kept it rolling in the decider, putting down 7 kills on .273 hitting to take it 16-14.
Southern Nazarene finished the match hitting .281 with 54 kills, 8 aces, and 11 blocks. Rayanna Mauldin led the Storm with 15 kills and added 2 aces and 12 digs, while Kate Wright finished with 14 kills, a team-high 3 aces, and 18 digs for a double-double. Makenzie Moseley also chipped in 9 kills.
Emma Grace Moddelmog directed the offense with 33 assists and added 6 digs, while Brelee Mauldin added 6 assists and an ace. At the net, Hannah Morgan had 6 blocks and Moseley added 5, with Riley Richardson chipping in 4.
Defensively, Sydney Marquez led all players with 23 digs.
Game 2
The Crimson Storm earned their second win of the day, taking down the Griffins (1-5) 25-20, 24-26, 25-23, 26-24.
SNU set the tone early in the opener. The Storm hit .433 with 14 kills and just one error to take the first set 25-20, holding Westminster to 14 kills on .273 hitting.
The second set was tight throughout. Westminster answered with 17 kills on .234 to edge it 26-24 and even the match at 1-1.
The Crimson Storm regained control in the third. SNU put down 15 kills on .351 with just two errors to take the third 25-23 over the Griffins.
SNU closed it out in a back-and-forth fourth. The Storm hit .283 with a match-high 17 kills to win 26-24 and secure the 3-1 victory.
Southern Nazarene finished hitting .302 with 59 kills, 8 aces, and 8 blocks. Wright led all attackers with 25 kills and added 4 aces and 19 digs for a huge double-double. Moseley added 9 kills and 2 blocks, while Mauldin chipped in 8 kills.
Moddelmog directed the offense with 38 assists and 12 digs. Hannah Morgan anchored the net with 5 blocks, while Marquez led the back row once again with a career high 28 digs.
Next Up
The Crimson Storm will take on Stanislaus State in their final game of the Denton Volleyfest on Saturday, September 5 at 1:30 pm.
