Magnolia, Ark. – Coming off of an 18-kill record-breaking performance, senior
Amanda Monge broke her career-high kills in a single match record again with 21 kills as Southern Arkansas defeated East Central in four sets, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-20, Saturday afternoon at W.T. Watson Center.
"I'm going to sound like a broken record but full credit to my team," Monge said. "I could not do it without them – passing, setting and hitting – so full credit to them. I know Hailey [McNee] tore it up as well."
SAU (4-12, 2-3 GAC) struggled offensively in the first set, attacking at a .091 (11-8-33) clip before swinging over .225 in the final three sets. The Lady Muleriders started the first set in a 0-4 hole. The Lady Tigers controlled the set offensively, swinging .357, led by Madyson Gill's five kills and recorded the last three points of the set via kills. .
With SAU leading 24-21 in the second set, East Central (3-13, 0-5 GAC) scored two consecutive points after a Gill kill and a
Hailey McNee error. McNee, who finished second behind Monge with 13 kills, bounced back for a kill on the next point to ice the set for the Lady Muleriders.
Holding a tight 20-19 lead in the third set, Monge would fire a kill and follow up with a service ace in what seemed to put the set out of reach. Although ECU tied the set at 23, SAU got back-to-back kills from McNee and
Logan Tolbert to take a pivotal 2-1 set lead.
The Lady Muleriders used the reliable service of junior setter
Taylor Reaume and two kills from Monge to take a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. With SAU leading by an 11-10 margin, the Lady Muleriders went on a 7-0 run on four kills to put the set, and the match, out of reach for ECU.
"I think we had a little bit of a hangover from yesterday's game when we played Southeastern [Oklahoma]," Head Coach
Steven Gream said. "Once we got to the second set and started figuring them out, I thought we really battled and that's why we ended up winning the next three sets."
Freshman
Alli O'Banion added 11 kills, and Reaume contributed with her second consecutive double-double, dishing out 48 assists and digging 10 balls. Reaume has five double-doubles this season.
The Lady Muleriders end their five-game homestand Tuesday versus Lyon College at W.T. Watson Center. First serve is set for 6 p.m.