MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The W.T. Watson Center was absolutely chaotic during the annual 'Dig Pink' game as the Muleriders earned their first win over the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers since 2016 in a four-set thriller to carry Southern Arkansas to a 12-10 overall record while being 6-4 in the Great American Conference. Alli O'Banion and her group felt the electricity from a raucous W.T. Watson Center creating so much static that you couldn't hear yourself think.
 
Southern Arkansas started the matchup with a set one loss in which NWOSU looked to have things under control. Then the static came, as the Rangers swapped sides in front of the pinked-out SAU student section to create the spark needed for the Muleriders. From that point on, Southern Arkansas rattled off three consecutive set wins to push the Muleriders past the Rangers at home.
 
STAT LEADERS
The Muleriders were led by a strong offensive attack from junior transfer Jada Hudson tying her career-high 16 kills with a .300 attack percentage. The Lone Star native was also strong on the defensive side of the ball after she recorded 14 digs as she earned her fifth-career double-double and just second as a Mulerider. Landry Rogers and Kayte Delong each recorded 11 kills on the night to support the offensive fireworks. Morgan Schuster and Macie Shaver recorded nearly equal efforts in the match as the senior recorded 24 assists and the junior transfer accounted for 23. Three Muleriders tallied multiple service aces as Rogers and Schuster both recorded two, but Alessia Sonzini accounted for three on the court as she hit her third early in the fourth to separate the squads by two.
 
SET ONE
The initial set saw a back-and-forth shootout up till a 17-17 first set. There was no room to breathe until Northwestern Oklahoma State created room with a 2-8 run to seal their single set victory of the night 19-25.
 
SET TWO
With the noise surrounding the Rangers bench following the bench-swap, the Muleriders took advantage of the 416 people in attendance for some Southern Arkansas Volleyball. A slow start from SAU looked as if NWOSU was going to take yet another set victory as they presented an 8-14 lead over the Riders. Southern Arkansas inched its way back into match by shutting downt he Ranger offense at 20 points and retaliating with a 6-0 run to take the lead 22-20. Northwestern jumped back on top with three consecutive points, but was knocked right back with a Mulerider 4-1 run to secure a set two win 26-24.
 
SET THREE
If the second set didn't have enough excitement, well the third brought the rest. This contest brought yet another shootout from the very beginning. Neither squad could relax with even a three-point lead over the other. Set three saw six lead changes as the two conference foes countered each effort thrown at them on repeat. After a 4-0 run from SAU to go up 20-17 (largest-lead of set), NWOSU came right back with three-consecutive kills to tie. The Muleriders came back with two kills from Hudson and Delong for the fourth lead change, but was countered by the Rangers with three more consecutive kills (23-24). SAU presented the final lead change of the set as they went on a 3-0 run granted by a Delong kill for the set three win.
 
SET FOUR
After showing some struggle over the first three sets, the Muleriders came into set four and rode to victory. SAU dominated the final set of following the Sonzini service ace to give Southern Arkansas the separation they needed. The Muleriders stretched their lead to as much as six points and never got back within one against the Rangers in the fourth set. SAU cruised to its third set win of the night to secure its 12^th match win of the season.
 
UP NEXT
With their 12^th win of the season, the Muleriders have now tied the number of wins the 2020 (1-10), 2021 (5-21), and 2022 (6-21) campaigns combined and look for much more. Southern Arkansas now looks towards Friday afternoon, October 20, inside the W.T. Watson Center to prepare for the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs and their final regular season Oklahoma matchup. For more information, check out www.MuleriderAthletics.com.