SHAWNEE, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State avoided the upset in its Great American Conference Volleyball  Championships quarterfinal on Thursday by surviving a five-set affair with No. 6 seeded Southern Nazarene. The Bulldogs trailed after the first and third sets but claimed the final two sets, including 15-13 in the final frame, to take down the Crimson Storm.

Senior Carmen Kinsey helped ensure she did not play the final match of her career. She finished with a season high 16 kills on a blistering .405 hitting percentage to lead the team. Prior to Thursday, she had not eclipsed double digit kills all season.

Kinsey led the way but got help from a balanced attack. Three other players notched double-digit kills including Lacy Mott (14), Zoey Sparks (13), and Maicee Morgan (11).

Mott obtained a double-double with 19 digs and she also accounted for three of SWOSU's four service aces in the match. Lauren DeSantiago tied Mott's mark with 19 digs at libero.

SWOSU turned it on when they needed it most. After hitting just .102 combined through the first three sets which included a negative mark in the opening frame, they found their groove late and hit .310 and .435 in the final two sets.

After a disappointing result in the first set, the Dawgs settled in by winning the second. They jumped out to an early lead only to see SNU even the set at 17-17. From that moment, SWOSU rattled off five points in a row and seven of the next eight to regain control.

SNU took the third set with a near identical look of the second. With the teams tied 17-17, it was the Storm who rattled off six of the next seven points to take control again and eventually jump back ahead in the match 2-1.

Mott and Kinsey combined for 17 kills in the fourth and fifth sets, in two frames that only saw the lead change once in each set with six tied scores apiece.

The fifth set, while filled with suspense in a tight match, was mostly controlled by SWOSU who opened up two separate leads of three points at the 10-7 and 13-10 marks.

Credit goes to SNU for hanging around the entire way but kills from Kinsey for point number 14 and Mott for point number 15 closed things out.

SWOSU advances to the GAC Semifinals for the fourth time in five seasons and will face off against the winner of (2) Oklahoma Baptist and (7) Northwestern.