Alva Review-Courier -

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas hit .258 (46-14-124) on Saturday afternoon inside the W.T. Watson Center; the team's highest attack percentage against a Great American Conference opponent this season, but Southeastern Oklahoma produced 14 service aces to claim the league clash in four sets (17-25, 25-22, 16-25, 21-25).

The Muleriders (8-16, 2-9 GAC) posted attack percentages of .231, .306, .222, and .257, respectively, and did not commit more than four errors in any set. In the set two victory, Southern Arkansas swung .306 totaling 15 kills to just four attack errors in 36 total attempts.

Leading the offensive attack for SAU on Saturday were sophomore Morgan Gross and freshman Rylea Brimhall. Gross hit .462; the second-highest attack percentage of any Mulerider this season, and led SAU with 14 kills, while Brimhall's .294 attack clip produced 13 kills. Sophomore Lauren Smith's seven kills came behind a .417 attack clip and she added a team-best three block assists and the team's lone solo stuffing.

One day after producing a career-best 50 assists, true freshman Caitlin Murdock delivered 36 of the team's 42 assists. Classmate Camryn Bihary led SAU with 18 digs and junior Kayley Davis followed with nine kills.

The Muleriders led 10-5 in the opening set, before the Savage Storm closed the set on an 18-7 advantage that started with a 9-1 run. Brimhall, Smith and Murdock produced back-to-back-to-back kills on a 4-1 run that closed out the second set after trailing 13-9 early on. With an 18-14 lead, Southeastern Oklahoma State manufactured a 7-2 run to close out the frame in the third set.

The final set saw Brimhall power home a kill to tie the match at 12, but the Savage Storm used an 8-3 run to distance themselves just enough to take the set as a late Mulerider rally came up short.

UP NEXT

Southern Arkansas returns to action on Friday, October 19, in Monticello, Arkansas, for a Battle of the Timberlands matchup with Arkansas-Monticello. The Muleriders claimed a five-set victory over the Blossoms on September 18; the team's first league victory of the season. UAM and SAU are tied for tenth in the GAC standings and are two games back of the eighth and final playoff spot for the conference tournament. Live coverage links will be available at http://www.MuleriderAthletics.com.