Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas Lady Mulerider Volleyball team opened their 2017 campaign with a pair of matches at the Williams Baptist Triangular on Tuesday evening and left with a 1-1 record overall after a season-opening loss to John Brown University (22-25, 24-26, 23-25) and a four-set victory over host Williams Baptist College (18-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-11).
 
SAU (1-1) was led by freshman right side hitter Morgan Gross as the Bandera, Texas, native accumulated 26 total kills (leading all players) and 22 total digs over the two matches which included her first career double-double with 18 kills and 10 digs in the win against WBC. The rookie added three block assists and six service aces in her collegiate debut on Tuesday night.
 
The Lady Muleriders struggled in the early going in the season-opener against the Golden Eagles (6-0) and finished the match with an attack clip of just .162 (34-18-99). But in the nightcap, SAU leaned heavily on their serving as they tallied 13 total service aces, while rallying back from an opening-set loss to pick up their first win of the season over the Lady Eagles (0-6).
 
In the opener, JBU jumped out to a 10-4 lead in set one and would hold off SAU late as the Lady Muleriders pulled within a 22-21 score. In set two, Southern Arkansas would be unable to withstand a late JBU run as the Golden Eagles rallied to score the seven of the set's final eight points in the set win, before topping the Lady Muleriders in a close third set to pick up their sixth-straight win.
 
Tied at a set apiece against WBC, Gross broke an 18-all tie with a kill, before senior outside hitter Alexia Southern (13 total kills, 13 total digs and four service aces in two matches) sandwiched a pair of WBC attack errors with a kill of her own creating a 4-0 run and much needed distance to help SAU claim the third set and the momentum. The Lady Muleriders caught their stride in the final set of the evening as they opened on a 22-5 run highlighted by Southern collecting three service aces in a span of four-straight serves.
 
Sophomore setter Alexa Bass recorded a dozen assists and added six kills and six digs in her Lady Mulerider debut against JBU and followed that performance with 27 assists and seven digs in the win over WBC.
 
Sophomore Riley Marsh finished with 18 total digs on the evening and classmate Seven Powers recorded 11 kills.
 
Southern Arkansas opens Division II play this weekend at the South Central Classic hosted by Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, Oklahoma. The Lady Muleriders will play four games over the course of Friday and Saturday highlighted by a meeting with AVCA Preseason No. 21 Central Missouri on Saturday at noon. Live stat links will be available on www.muleriderathletics.com as soon as possible.