Russellville, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas volleyball team was unable to get into an offensive rhythm in a three-set loss (13-25, 20-25, 18-25) to conference leader Arkansas Tech at Tucker Coliseum Thursday night.

"This is a learning process in preparation for the conference tournament," Head Coach Steven Gream said. "These two teams that we are playing this weekend will help get us back on track for our two conference games next week."

The first set started out in a 2-2 tie before Arkansas Tech (16-5, 8-1 GAC) scored eight of the next nine points, led by three Kaci Jackson kills and two Madison Nagel aces, to take a commanding 10-3 lead. The Golden Suns would hold a seven-point lead at 18-11 before scoring seven of the next nine points to take the first set 25-18.

SAU (8-13, 5-4 GAC) swung an efficient .276 (10-2-29) in the first set, but ATU showed why it is the No. 1 team in the Great American Conference, swinging .405 (17-2-37) led by six Katie Huff kills.

Similarly, the second set started out 2-2 and the Lady Muleriders were able to keep the set in reach at a 10-10 tie. Unfortunately, the Golden Suns would score 10 of the next 12 led by two kills and two blocks from Huff to control the set 20-12.

SAU would make a 3-0 run after an ATU service error, attacking error and a kill from Amanda Monge to bring the set within five points at 15-20. After Monge got an ace to pull the set within four at 19-23, McCall Wilkins got a kill for the Golden Suns. Junior Shelby Lauterbach fired a kill for the Lady Muleriders before ATU put away the set with a Kaylee Konsella kill.

After the third set started with a 5-5 tie, ATU would score nine of the next 14 points with four of the points coming from SAU errors to take a 14-10 lead. The Lady Muleriders squeezed the lead to three at 18-21, but the Golden Suns would score the next four points on two kills, an ace and an SAU attacking error to take the set and the match.

Monge led all SAU attackers with eight kills, but it was setter Taylor Reaume who was most efficient, converting on five of eight attacks from the setter position to post a .625 attacking percentage.