Tweet #theGAC  HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Southwestern Oklahoma State overcame an early deficit to eliminate Southern Nazarene, 3-1, in Thursday’s second Great American Conference Volleyball Championship quarterfinal contest from the Bank OZK Arena.
 
The Bulldogs (21-6) led by as many as five points on two occasions in the opening set. Trailing 21-16, the Crimson Storm (17-16) scored seven straight points en route to posting a 25-23 victory in the set. Both offenses excelled in the set as the Crimson Storm hit .355 and the Bulldogs hit .333.
 
In the second set, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-2 lead and never trailed as they evened the contest. The third set opened with seven ties before either side reached double figures. With the score tied 9-9; SWOSU scored nine of the subsequent 10 points to grab control of the set. The Crimson Storm pulled to within three, 18-15, before the Bulldogs answered with the final seven points of the set.
 
SWOSU’s strong third-set finish extended into the fourth set as the Bulldogs took an early 8-2 lead. Southern Nazarene never cut the lead to closer than four points the rest of the way. Allie Hoang served the Bulldogs into the semifinals with an ace, the Bulldogs’ 11^th of the contest. The 11 aces matched a GAC Championship single-match record.
 
Jenny Tackett led the Bulldogs with 15 kills. She hit .609 in the win. Elizabeth McVicker, the GAC Newcomer of the Year, added 12 kills to go along with a .417 attack percentage. Emily Holm and Danusia Sipa Boregeaud also reached double figures in kills. Allie Hoang finished with 52 assists and Kaitlyn Dillon, the GAC Defensive Player of the Year, racked up 28 digs. Kodee Avery and Klemson Lancaster accounted for nine of the 11 service aces.
 
Meagan Ellis spearheaded the Crimson Storm offense as she finished with a match-high 16 kills. She hit .297. Bailee Turang, an All-GAC First-Team selection, added 10 kills and 10 digs. Logan Matthews, the league’s Freshman of the Year, tallied 18 digs.
 
The Bulldogs will face Henderson State in Friday’s opening semifinal contest, set for a 3:30 p.m. start time. SWOSU won the lone regular-season meeting, 3-0 in Arkadelphia. McVicker hit .556 with 11 kills and Hoang totaled 39 assists.