Arkadelphia, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas volleyball team had four attackers record double-digit kills but ultimately fell in five sets versus Ouachita Baptist (25-16, 23-25, 25-16, 22-25, 12-15) Tuesday night at the Sturgis Center.

SAU (9-15, 5-5 GAC) jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first set led by three kills from sophomore Hailey McNee. After increasing the lead to eight at 16-8, the Lady Muleriders scored the next three on a McNee kill and two OBU (11-6, 4-5 GAC) attacking errors. Senior Amanda Monge fired three kills in SAU's next nine points to lift the Lady Muleriders to a 25-16 first-set victory.

The Lady Muleriders swung at a .359 (17-3-39) clip in the set while limiting the Tigers to .121 (11-7-33). Monge was a perfect 6-for-6 attacking in the set, and junior Shelby Lauterbach and McNee added four kills apiece.

SAU similarly started the second set with high energy, scoring the first four points. After the Lady Muleriders pushed the lead to 7-2, the Tigers would respond by scoring six of the next seven to tie the set at eight.

At a 13-13 gridlock, SAU scored the next two on a Taylor Reaume dump and a combined block from Lauterbach and freshman Alli O'Banion. After scoring to tie the match at 18, OBU made its move, scoring five of the next six points to take a 23-19 lead.

The Lady Muleriders would score the next three to bring the set within one before Tiger attacker Stephanie Pollnow fired a kill. Reaume executed another dump attack before Pollnow sealed the set for the Tigers to tie the match at one set apiece.

After a Lauterbach and O'Banion assisted block tied the third set at two, the Lady Muleriders would score the next four on Logan Tolbert and McNee kills and two Tiger errors to push the lead to 6-2. After SAU increased the lead to nine at 18-9, OBU would push back with five straight points before Reaume connected on another dump attack and McNee fired a kill to hold a 20-14 SAU lead. Holding a six-point lead at 22-16, The Lady Muleriders would score the next three points on
Tolbert and McNee kills and a Tiger attacking error to hold a pivotal 2-1 set lead.

Tolbert converted on 6-of-7 attacks while O'Banion assisted on three blocks in the third set. SAU denied three OBU attacks for points and stunted the Tiger attack to a -.024 (6-7-41) attacking percentage.

The fourth set came to a five-point tie after a Lauterbach ace. The set featured back and forth action with three more ties. Tied at 18 apiece, the Tigers struck with back-to-back points before a Monge kill brought the set within one for the Lady Muleriders.

The Tigers would block a Monge attempt on the next point before O'Banion struck a crosscourt slide attack for a kill. After an SAU back row attacking error, Monge slammed home another kill to pull the set within one again.

After an SAU attacking error, O'Banion fired another kill on a slide attack but served the next ball out. The Tigers would put away the set with a Pollnow kill on the next point.

After falling behind 0-2 in the fifth set, the Lady Muleriders fought back with three straight points behind strong service from Monge. OBU would score the next two on two SAU attacking errors before Reaume utilized another dump attack for a kill.

After OBU scored the next two, Tolbert and McNee would fire back-to-back kills to tie the set at six. Teams would trade points before Tolbert connected on a kill to give SAU an 8-7 lead. OBU would score four of the next five before Monge converted on another kill to cut the deficit to one at 10-11.

The Tigers would score back-to-back kills to push the lead to 13-10 before sophomore Hannah Rice nailed a kill from the back row. Teams would trade points before Tiger attacker Abby Pickett sealed the match for OBU with a kill.

Tolbert smashed a career-high 18 kills on an efficient .556 (18-3-27) attacking percentage while Lauterbach (10 kills, 17 digs), McNee (14 kills, 21 digs) and Reaume (56 assists, 12 digs) contributed with double-doubles. Monge also added 17 kills.

The Lady Muleriders return home to W.T. Watson Center Friday to face conference foe Southern Nazarene. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m.