Winter Park, Fla. – Freshman Alli O'Banion recorded a career-high eight kills in addition to a .300 (8-20-2) attacking percentage, but the momentum swings found the Southern Arkansas volleyball team on the losing end, as they fell 20-25, 23-25, 21-25, to UNC-Pembroke in their first game of the day at the Rollins College Invitational early Saturday morning.
 
Behind 2-7 in the first set, the Lady Muleriders (0-3) took advantage of two Brave attacking errors and a kill from junior setter Taylor Reaume to pull within two. The Braves (1-2) eventually took the set behind Caroline Pridgen's set-high five kills and a 14-9 team kills advantage.
 
UNC-Pembroke got its first three points in the second set via Pridgen kills. The Lady Muleriders rallied from behind, pressuring the Braves with a .333 (13-27-4) hitting percentage and freshman Alli O'Banion leading the way with four kills. Junior Emilie Aase and sophomore Hailey McNee had three kills apiece in the set. The Braves stole the set despite the Lady Muleriders holding the set advantage in kills (13-12) and hitting percentage (.333-.250).
 
The Lady Muleriders found themselves ahead in the third set 6-3 before the Braves stormed back with four straight points. With SAU down 13-15, UNC-Pembroke's Nicole Mathews recorded three straight kills to push the game out of reach.
 
O'Banion led the Lady Muleriders with eight kills and a .300 (8-20-2) attacking percentage, while Reaume contributed with 27 assists and sophomore Hannah Rice with 11 digs.
 
SAU returns to the court at 4 p.m. today against West Georgia to wrap up the weekend at Warden Arena.