[September 28, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

MONTICELLO, Ark. – Stepping out of Gulf South Conference play didn’t solve Southern Arkansas’ mid-season struggles as the Lady Muleriders dropped two matches to Cameron (Okla.) and GSC East member West Alabama in the Arkansas-Monticello Classic at Steelman Fieldhouse Saturday.

SAU fell 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 22-25, 17-25) against Cameron before losing a tough 3-2 decision (17-25, 25-23, 11-25, 25-21, 13-15) to West Alabama.

Cameron (7-7) got a combined 45 kills from Lindsay Paziuk, Adrienne Lawson and Malyssa Acton to put away Southern Arkansas. Paziuk had a match-high 17, while Lawson and Acton finished with 16 and 12, respectively. The Aggies were also strong at the net, getting 18 blocks and limiting the Lady Muleriders to a .137 hitting percentage.

Sarah Bell (Houston, Texas) paced SAU with 15 kills, while Kaci Matthews (Houston, Texas) added 14. Michaela Scroggins (The Colony, Texas) tossed up 42 assists, and Erica Malone (Spring, Texas) served three aces.

Mallory McKee (Coppell, Texas) had a match-high 18 digs, and Maggie Ross (Waxahachie, Texas) finished with five blocks.

Southern Arkansas traded games with West Alabama (13-5) before the Tigers narrowly closed out the fifth set for the win.

UWA forced the Lady Muleriders into 38 attack errors while holding them to a .106 hitting percentage.

Jessica Crook led West Alabama with 13 kills, Gabriela Pedrosa had 12 and Allison Nail chipped in 11.

Bell and Veronica Ogbeide (Hurst, Texas) had 13 kills apiece to lead SAU, and Ross finished with 12. Scroggins had 46 assists, and McKee chipped in four service aces.

Scroggins, Matthews and McKee had six digs each, and Ogbeide added eight blocks.

It was Southern Arkansas’ fourth straight loss, falling to 6-10 on the season.

The Lady Muleriders continue non-conference play Monday when they travel to Denton, Texas, to face Texas Woman’s in a 6 p.m. match.