WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Raven Presley recorded seven kills in the first set, but Midwestern State (3-12, 1-5) fell to Southern Nazarene (13-6, 3-2), 3-1, in a non-conference volleyball match on Tuesday night inside D.L. Ligon Coliseum.

"We have to continue working on getting in the right spots defensively," said Head Coach Valerie Armstrong.

Powered by Presley's tremendous opening set, that saw the junior hit .875, Midwestern State raced out to a 1-0 lead with a 25-18 win. MSU scored six of the first seven points in the set and never looked back.

The momentum shifted in the second set when Presley went down with an injury.

"Losing Raven was big, especially with blocking," added Coach Armstrong.

Southern Nazarene grabbed the second set 25-17 to even the match at 1-1. The Crimson Storm took control of the match with a 9-2 run that broke a 7-7 tie. 

A back and forth third set was claimed by the visitors 25-23. Rachel Howes gave the Mustangs a 19-18 lead with a kill, one of her six on the night. Southern Nazarene responded with a 4-1 run that forced Midwestern State to use a timeout. Later in the match, with MSU trailing 24-23 and trying to prolong the set, Bailey Grimes blasted a kill to push SNU in front, 2-1. 

The Crimson Storm clinched the non-conference win with a 25-16 win in set four. MSU took an early 5-1 lead, highlighted by a pair of service aces before SNU evened the match with a 4-0 run. MSU led 9-8 after a Grace Miracle attack error, but it was the last lead of the night for the Mustangs as the Crimson Storm used a 6-0 run to pull away.

MATCH NOTES
- The Mustangs have lost three matches in a row
- Sarah Eakin posted 10 kills and six blocks
- MSU hit .171 while Southern Nazarene turned in a .235 kill rate
- Bailee Turang (SNU) led all players with 18 kills

UP NEXT
The homestand rolls on as UT Permian Basin comes to D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Friday night for a Lone Star Conference contest. Match time is 6 p.m.