MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas finally got past a pesky East Central squad, but it took five sets to gather a 3-2 win Saturday in Great American Conference volleyball action at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.  Scores were 25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 15-9.
 
The Lady Muleriders (16-4, 8-0 GAC) won their fifth straight, while the Tigers (6-18, 3-4 GAC) have dropped nine of their past 10.
 
SAU got outhit 53 kills to 49, but made up points on service aces and errors, and reception and ball-handling errors.
 
Junior outside hitter Denise De Vine (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) led Southern Arkansas with 14 kills and added 10 digs.  Senior hitter Courtney Smith (Mansfield, Texas) chipped in 12 kills, and junior outside hitter Courtney Geesing (Montrose, Colo.) had 11 and 13 digs.
 
Junior setter Klaire Blasco Vine (Downey, Calif.) finished with 41 assists and 10 digs.  Junior libero Lauren Woods (Kennedale, Texas) had a match-high 26 digs and added three service aces, and freshman defensive specialist Allie Cecil (Rockwall, Texas) had 14 digs.
 
Tatiana Booth recorded a match-high 15 kills for East Central, Danielle Essix had 12 and 19 digs, and Noelle Cope finished with 12 kills and six blocks.
 
The Lady Muleriders host an important GAC match Tuesday in a 7 p.m. meeting with Arkansas Tech.  SAU sits atop the conference standings at 8-0, Harding is a half match back at 7-0, while Tech is third at 6-1.  Southern Arkansas will face Tech again after Tuesday, traveling to Russellville to close out their conference season on November 8, but plays Harding only once this season, on October 23 in Searcy.