Box Score

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Four standout seniors for the Southern Arkansas volleyball team played their final career match inside the W.T. Watson Center on Thursday night. The quartet's final home match will undoubtedly be a memorable one as SAU won the final two sets to defeat Arkansas Tech, 3-2, in an emotionally-charged five-set thriller.
 
The Lady Muleriders (17-14, 7-7 GAC) fired the first shot in the match as they captured a back-and-forth opening set by a score of 26-24. In that set, there were an incredible 15 tie scores and six lead changes as the two teams seemingly matched one another point for point.
 
With the opening set 22-20 in favor of the Golden Suns (22-11, 9-5 GAC), SAU went on a four-point run, thanks in large part to three straight attack errors by Tech, to earn set-point, 24-22. A bad set and an attack error by the Lady Muleriders knotted the set at 24-all. With Tech serving, the Lady Muleriders were able to get a sideout as Courtney Geesing hammered home a kill. Serving with set-point once more, SAU would close out the set on a kill by Amanda Monge.
 
The Golden Suns would bounce back after dropping the opening set and take a 2-1 match lead after they turned in a pair of impressive offensive outputs in the second and third sets. In each of those sets, Tech would register at least 18 kills and hit over .239. Conversely, in that same time, the Lady Muleriders would total 21 kills and hit under .200.
 
The modest offensive numbers that the Lady Muleriders generated in sets two and three would change drastically in the fourth set as they committed just one attack error en route to running away with the set 25-14, and forcing a decisive fifth set.
 
In that fourth set, SAU trailed early on 5-3. From there, the Lady Muleriders ripped off seven unanswered points to take a 10-5 lead. After Tech pulled to within three points, 11-8, the Lady Muleriders pulled away even more as they scored nine out of the next 11 points to take a commanding 20-10 lead. Eventually SAU would close out the set, 25-14.
 
The momentum from the offensive surge in the fourth set would carry over for the Lady Muleriders into the fifth and final set as SAU opened up on a 4-0 run. That early 4-0 lead would turn into an 8-3 lead before Tech stormed back into the set with a 5-1 run to pull to within a point, 9-8. From there the next five points would alternate between the two teams as the set worked itself to a 12-10 score in favor of SAU. A kill by Cambria Martin gave SAU their 13th point and a three-point advantage in the race to 15 points.
 
The Golden Suns, who were locked in as the number two seed in the upcoming Great American Conference Tournament, forced an improbable tie in the set at 13-all as they scored the next three points. Despite having their lead disappear, the Lady Muleriders showed resolve and earned the final two points as they completed their thrilling comeback.
 
Being that it was Senior Night, it was fitting that the four seniors had the best statistical numbers in the match for SAU. Courtney Geesing and Cambria Martin led the team in kills as each had 12 for the match. The two also combined for just four attack errors as they each hit over .250 for the match. Libero Lauren Woods led all players with 26 digs while setter Gabby Clark dished out 51 of the team's 53 assists.
 
The Lady Muleriders will now look to continue the momentum from this win over Arkansas Tech as they will have a rematch with the Golden Suns in the opening round of the 2013 GAC Volleyball Tournament on Thursday, November 21. Arkansas Tech will enter the tournament as the No.2 seed and Southern Arkansas will enter as the No.7 seed.
 
That match will be the second of the day on Thursday and will have a scheduled first-serve time of 2:30 p.m. Live stats will be provided by the GAC. For more information on the tournament go to: http://greatamericanconference.com/sports/2013/11/3/WVB_1103130834.aspx