MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas wrapped up the home portion of its 2012 season with a 3-0 sweep of Southern Nazarene (Okla.) in Great American Conference volleyball action Saturday at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center, winning by scores of 25-20, 25-20 and 25-23.
 
Junior outside hitter Denise De Vine (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) led the Lady Muleriders (21-9, 10-2 GAC) with 11 kills and 14 digs, and senior hitter Courtney Smith (Mansfield, Texas) added 10 kills, hitting .588 with no attack errors.
 
Kira Roberts had 10 kills for the Crimson Storm (11-19, 6-6 GAC).
 
SAU out-hit SNU .162 to .134 and had 39 kills to 34, despite 21 attack errors, while Southern Nazarene had 19.  Southern Arkansas totaled six service aces, with five coming from freshman defensive specialist Allie Cecil (Rockwall, Texas), and finished with seven team blocks, with the Crimson Storm getting eight.
 
Junior setter Klaire Blasco Vine (Downey, Calif.) tallied 34 of the Lady Muleriders' 37 assists.  Defensively, senior middle hitter Monica Cox (Channelview, Texas) had four blocks, and junior libero Lauren Woods (Kennedale, Texas) matched De Vine with 14 digs.
 
The match served as senior day for SAU, with Smith, Cox, middle hitter Vanessa Ascencio (Montebello, Calif.) and outside hitter Megan Godsil (Durham, Calif.) honored in a pre-match ceremony.
 
Southern Arkansas has two conference matches remaining on its slate, traveling to Arkansas-Monticello Tuesday for a 7 p.m. contest, and then to Arkansas Tech on Thursday.  They then close out the regular season November 10 in a noon match against West Alabama in Livingston, Ala.
 
The Lady Muleriders are currently tied at second with Arkansas Tech in the GAC standings.  Harding remains on top with a perfect 12-0 league record and has clinched the regular season conference championship after defeating Tech on Tuesday and having beaten SAU earlier in the year.  The Lady Bisons will host the postseason GAC tournament November 15-17.