MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas struggled early on in Friday afternoon's Great American Conference tilt with Southern Nazarene as the visitors utilized a 9-0 run to start on its way to a 25-13 set one win, but the Muleriders improved in sets two and three pushing the Crimson Storm to a 29-27 decision in the final frame. SAU drops to 3-16 on the season and 2-7 in league play, but is just a single game back of the eighth and final postseason spot.
 
Sophomore Landry Rogers produced a double double with ten kills and ten digs. Sophomores Lauryn Moultrie and Carlin Whaley each followed with six kills and junior Sakura Thomas led with a dozen digs. Junior Morgan Schuster facilitated with two dozen assists.
 
Southern Nazarene posted set attack percentages of .313, .351 and .289 as it hit .316 for the match. SAU led 12-10 in set three and withstood a 5-1 run from the Crimson Storm that put SNU up 16-14. Southern Nazarene's lead would get to three at 19-16, but a kill from Moultrie, a SNU attack error and a service ace by Thomas evened the third set at 19.
 
Kills by Rogers, Whaley and sophomore Anna Crittenden aided the back-and-forth effort from Southern Arkansas down the stretch, while a block by Moultrie and Whaley gave SAU a 24-23 advantage. The Crimson Storm closed the match by winning six of the final nine points, including the last three to sweep the afternoon.
 
Southern Arkansas heads to Oklahoma for the final time this season as Southeastern Oklahoma and East Central await on back-to-back nights beginning Thursday with a 6 p.m. first serve in Durant. Live coverage links are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.