SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Southern Arkansas volleyball team split a pair of non-conference matches on a Texas road trip this weekend, claiming a 3-0 decision over Oklahoma Panhandle State, before being shut out 0-3 by host St. Mary's (Texas) Saturday at Bill Greehey Arena.
 
The Lady Muleriders dominated the Oklahoma Panhandle (4-22) match in winning by scores of 25-16, 25-21, 25-8, and hitting .348 with 39 kills to 28, while limiting the Aggies to a .000 attack percentage.
 
SAU was led by junior outside hitters Denise De Vine (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) and Courtney Geesing (Montrose, Colo.), who had nine kills apiece.
 
Senior middle hitter Vanessa Ascencio (Montebello, Calif.) had five blocks, including four solo, and senior middle hitter Monica Cox (Channelview, Texas) added four.
 
Junior libero Lauren Woods (Kennedale, Texas) finished with 18 digs.
 
Erica Skipper led with eight kills for Oklahoma Panhandle.
 
Southern Arkansas (19-9) stayed close with St. Mary's (16-8) before falling 26-28, 21-25 and 21-25.
 
The teams were even with 41 kills apiece, but the Lady Muleriders committed 27 attack errors.
 
De Vine had a match-high 13 kills, and senior hitter Courtney Smith (Mansfield, Texas) chipped in 10, while Woods finished with a match-high 20 digs.
 
Jenna Paul and Kelsey Huber led the Rattlers with nine kills each.
 
SAU is off until November 1 when they travel to Tyler, Texas, for a 4 p.m. match with Texas College.  They resume Great American Conference play November 3 in their final home match of the season, a 1 p.m. contest with Southern Nazarene (Okla.).