MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas volleyball team opened the home portion of its season with a pair of wins Saturday, sweeping Texas College 3-0 and then coming from behind for a 3-2 Great American Conference win over Ouachita Baptist at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
 
The Lady Muleriders (6-2, 1-0 GAC) blanked the Lady Steers (2-10) 25-9, 25-11 and 25-19, and won by scores of 25-18, 23-25, 27-29, 25-19, 18-16 against the Lady Tigers (3-9, 0-1 GAC).
 
SAU had a .309 attack percentage in the win over Texas College, while limiting them to .082.
 
Senior hitter Courtney Smith (Mansfield, Texas) hit .571 in leading Southern Arkansas with nine kills, while junior outside hitter Denise De Vine (Lake Elsinore, Calif.) hit .429 with seven kills, and also picked up 11 digs.
 
Sherri Darden led the Lady Steers with five kills.
 
The Lady Muleriders trailed 2-1 before rallying in the final two sets to overcome OBU in a close match.
 
De Vine posted a match-high 20 kills and also had 29 digs.  Smith added 15 kills, and junior hitter Courtney Geesing (Montrose, Colo.) finished with 10.
 
Junior setter Klaire Blasco Vine (Downey, Calif.) served up 54 assists among SAU's 63 kills and also had 23 digs.
 
Junior libero Lauren Woods (Kennedale, Texas) snared 31 digs, and freshman defensive specialist Allie Cecil (Rockwall, Texas) had 22 digs.  Junior middle hitter Cambria Martin (Tujunga, Calif.) had two blocks that gave her a combined five on the day, with three solos in the Texas College match.
 
Abby Pickett led Ouachita Baptist with 12 kills, and Allison Frizzell had 33 digs.
 
The OBU contest was the first of six consecutive GAC matches for Southern Arkansas.  They travel Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tilt at Henderson State, before returning home Thursday to host Arkansas-Monticello at 7 p.m.