THE RUNDOWN

The DBU Lady Patriots (7-9) fell to Southern Nazarene (10-4) on the road Saturday morning at the Sawyer Center. Junior Emma Eakin led DBU with 11 kills and 12 total points, while sophomore Brooke Clark recorded 10 kills and three blocks. Senior Katie Nicholson posted seven kills and a block of her own. Senior Merci Perry registered 21 assists, while junior Strealy Sizelove notched 15 of her own, as well as a kill.

After falling behind to open the match, DBU rallied to tie the score up at 12 all. After a couple of points on SNU's end, DBU took a timeout to regroup. After the break, the two teams traded points to 17, before the Crimson Storm surged ahead to close out the set, 25-23.

With the second set tied at six all, SNU took the lead on a DBU service error. A Katie Nicholson block would tie the match up again as both teams kept the pressure throughout the match. Although DBU closed the set on a 4-2 run, the Crimson Storm would hold onto win 25-20, behind the efforts of sophomore Kayla Thomas.

Trying to extend the match to a fourth set, DBU found themselves down early. Katie Nicholson and Emma Eakin kept their offensive performance up, combining for 15 kills bouncing back from the previous two sets. DBU closed the set on a 4-2 run to take the third set, 25-21.
 
Playing to stave off a loss, DBU kept it close early, only being down three, 7-4. Southern Nazarene would go onto pull away, never trailing en route to a 25-15 set four win, sealing the match.

KEY STORYLINES
- Merci Perry's 21 assists marks her 12th double-digit assist match of the season.
- DBU posted seven total blocks, opposed to SNU's five.
- In the first set, DBU had only three service errors compared to six from SNU.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
45 - Total kills in the match by the Lady Patriots.
.353 – Hitting percentage from Katie Nicholson.
10 - Block assists opposed to six from the Crimson Storm.
10 - Lady Patriots registered at least one point in the match.

UP NEXT
DBU will compete at Tarleton State next Tuesday September 25, in Stephenville, Texas. The match will begin at 6:00 p.m.