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Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Official Athletics Site of the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders
Kruse set for Cagle vs. SWOSU (9-29-18)
Lilly Welch
3
Winner Southwestern Okla. SWOSU 13-4, 6-1 GAC
1
Southern Arkansas SAU 6-13, 1-6 GAC
Winner
Southwestern Okla. SWOSU
13-4, 6-1 GAC
3
Final
1
Southern Arkansas SAU
6-13, 1-6 GAC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Southwestern Okla. SWOSU 25 23 25 25 (3)
Southern Arkansas SAU 14 25 23 15 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | By: Jacob Pumphrey

Muleriders fall in four sets to Southwestern Oklahoma State

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Freshman setter Lexi Kruse produced the fourth double-double of her career and four Muleriders recorded ten or more kills led by sophomore Bailey Cagle's 11, but it wasn't enough for Southern Arkansas on Saturday afternoon inside the W.T. Watson Center as Southwestern Oklahoma State claimed the Great American Conference contest in four sets (14-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-25).
 
The Muleriders (6-13, 1-6 GAC) outplayed the Bulldogs (13-4, 6-1 GAC) in the middle two sets as they registered attack percentages of .295 and .239 respectively after combining for 33 kills to only nine errors in 90 total attempts. SWOSU recorded 29 kills with a dozen errors in sets two and three. The Bulldogs started the match with an opening set attack percentage of .410 (18-2-39) and managed to escape with a set three victory behind a .213 hit clip after dropping set two to the Muleriders.
 
In that second set, Southern Arkansas trailed 12-11, but engineered a 6-0 run highlighted by a trio of kills from junior Seven Powers and a pair of putdowns by sophomore Morgan Gross. The Muleriders then took advantage of three SWOSU attack errors and a kill from freshman Ciarra Wright as part of 4-0 run to lead 23-18, before weathering a late 5-1 streak by the Bulldogs to take the second set.
 
The third set saw Southern Arkansas fall behind 21-14, but the Muleriders manufactured a late surge as kills from sophomore Lauren Smith and Cagle sandwiched a SWOSU attack error and a service ace from Smith to pull SAU within three, 21-18. The late run began just a little too late as Southern Arkansas scored five of the next six points, before the Bulldogs' Emily Holm ended the game with a kill after a late 3-0 run from SAU.
 
OF NOTE
  • Southwestern Oklahoma recorded nine service aces and five blocks, while the Muleriders managed just three blocks and three service aces.
  • Southern Arkansas' 159 attempts on Saturday are the fifth-most for the team this season, behind Wright's 40 and 35 apiece from Powers and Cagle.
  • Kruse's double-double came behind a game-high 44 assists, one shy of matching her career-high, and a dozen digs. It is the third match in her last six that she has eclipsed 40 or more assists. The rookie also added two kills.
  • Cagle's 11 kills came at an attack clip of .200 and she added two block assists and a block solo.
  • Powers (.057), Gross (.192) and Wright (.200) each added ten kills and the trio combined for 11 digs.
  • Freshman Camryn Bihary's 21 digs mark the fifth time the rookie has produced 20 or more in a match this season. She also added two service aces for the seventh time this season.
  • Sophomore Alana Perez collected 16 digs; the fifth double-digit dig match for her this season. Senior Bailey Zoss and junior Kayley Davis each added 11 digs and Wright finished three digs shy of a double-double.
 
UP NEXT
Southern Arkansas heads back to central Arkansas for a midweek non-conference tilt against Central Baptist College at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 2. Live coverage links will be available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
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