HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Southern Nazarene claimed its first Great American Conference tournament title, in any sport, as the Crimson Storm won the GAC Volleyball Championship – Presented by Subway with a three-set victory against Southeastern Oklahoma State, on Saturday, from the Bank of the Ozarks Arena. Senior libero Abbey Bell earned Tournament MVP honors.
| GAC Volleyball Championships – Presented by Subway: Final |
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| #8 Southeastern Oklahoma State (15-17) |
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| #3 Southern Nazarene (20-10) |
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DEFENSIVE LEADERS:
SE – Abby Jameson: 11 kills, .258 attack percentage
Alissa Benson: 21 assists
SNU – McKayla Benner: 15 kills, .344 attack percentage, 18.0 points
Courtney Bowie: 10 kills, .389 attack percentage
Elyse Berlin: 40 assists
DEFENSIVE LEADERS:
SE – Caitlin Cosby: 20 digs
Julia Benford: three blocks
Benson: nine digs, three blocks
SNU – Bell: 18 digs
Kaitlyn Vought: 13 digs, four blocks
Benner: four blocks
FIRST SET HIGHLIGHTS
- The Crimson Storm staved off a pair of set points and won the final four points of the set to take the opening set 26-24. The set featured 11 ties and seven lead changes. SNU hit .333 in the set, thanks it large part to the efforts by Benner, Bowie and Berlin. They totaled 11 of the 16 kills and hit .429. Berlin added 11 assists and Vought served up a pair of aces. Karine Cavalcante and Jameson each accounted for 6.0 points for Southeastern. Jameson tallied six kills while Cavalcante added four kills to go along with a service ace and a solo block.
SECOND SET HIGHLIGHTS
- Trailing 16-8, Southern Nazarene scored the 13 points to seize control the set. The run started on a successful challenge by head coach Kevin Ingram. During the run, Benner tallied three kills and Vought provided and a pair of aces. The Crimson Storm defense limited the Savage Storm to a .087 attack percentage. Benner collected five kills in the set and Berlin dished out 14 assists on SNU’s 15 kills.
THIRD SET HIGHLIGHTS
- Southern Nazarene closed out the match by taking control early in the third set. The Crimson Storm took the lead for good after just three points. With the lead cut to 13-12, SNU won six of the next eight points to extend its lead. Southeastern never drew closer than three points the rest of the set. Benner put home her match-leading 15th kill to clinch the title. She accounted for 6.0 points for the third-straight set. Berlin handed out 15 more assists.
NOTABLE:
- Southern Nazarene: second school to win all three of its GAC Volleyball Championship matches in three sets – joining Arkansas Tech in 2013.
- SNU volleyball: Earned first automatic bid to an NCAA Tournament in school’s NCAA era
- SNU volleyball: Second SNU program to earn a bid to an NCAA Regional (Men’s Golf in 2015)
- SNU: joins Arkansas Tech, Harding, Oklahoma Baptist and Ouachita as schools with 20 wins – the first time the GAC has had five 20-win teams in one season
- Bell: Tournament MVP – averaged 7.00 digs per set and totaled 10 service aces
- All-Tournament Team: Carly Zak, Southwestern Oklahoma State; Tabatha Huckabee, Ouachita; Alissa Benson, Southeastern Oklahoma State; Abby Jameson, Southeastern Oklahoma State; McKayla Benner, Southern Nazarene; Courtney Bowie, Southern Nazarene
WHAT’S NEXT:
NCAA Selection show – 6:30 PM on Monday on NCAA.com