HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The fifth-seeded Muleriders opened up play in the Great American Conference Tournament in the Spa City against their Natural State foe, the fourth-seeded Henderson State Reddies. The two squads have split the two-game conference series for the second consecutive season with each squad winning on their home court. This meeting between the long-time rivals is also the first instance they meet at a neutral site.
TOP PERFORMERS
All-GAC Second Team member, Kayte Delong, led SAU's offense with ten kills with a .346 attack percentage. She was also responsible for three assisted blocks, in which was led by All-GAC honorable mention Lauryn Moultrie with four. Three-time All-GAC honorable mention, senior, and Southern Arkansas career leader in assists recorded 15 assists with her assailant Macie Shaver recording 15 of her own assists. Junior Alessia Sonzini recorded her eight 20+ dig match of 2023 with exactly 20.
2023 SEASON STAT LEADERS
Delong finished her junior season with a career/team-high 256 kills, 289.0 points, and .273 attack percentage. Schuster concluded her final season as a Mulerider with 605 assists and 37 service aces. The lone senior finalized her SAU career with 3,409 assists to solidify the program record. Sonzini ended her first season as a Mulerider with 357 digs to lead the team. Moultrie concluded her junior season, and second year at SAU, with the century mark for total blocks while recording 26 solo and 74 assisted blocks.
SET ONE
The first set saw bursts from each team throughout the entire period of competition. The 'Riders kicked things off fast as they went on an early 5-2 scoring run to initiate the first gain of momentum. HSU recollected themselves from that point to tie the set up at ten apiece. From then on, the Reddies seemed to control the series of events and cruised to a set victory 19-25.
SET TWO
The second period of play saw a very similar outcome with an identical series of events. Southern Arkansas opened up the following set just as they did the first with a 5-2 lead that was followed by the Reddies tying the period at 10-10. Once more, HSU gained the momentum and kept a steady hold on the serve to win set two 19-25.
SET THREE
The third set saw the longest back-and-forth play of the evening as each team stuck with the other up to the 15-15 mark. Henderson State extended its lead to three, but would be closed by an SAU 4-1 scoring run to tie the set at 20 apiece. The Reddies would end the Muleriders' final effort with a 1-5 run to win the final set 21-25.
Nobody likes their story to end too early, but Head Coach Alli O'Banion and her Muleriders surpassed everyone's expectations by miles as the second-year head coach ended 2023 with the first above .500 record since 2015, tied the previous four seasons in wins (15), took home the GAC Head Coach of the Year award, accounted for three All-GAC members, and of course made it to the GAC Tournament for the first time since 2015. Coach O'Banion has plenty of foundation underneath her to build upon even further for the 2024 campaign. The 2023 season showed the true meaning of "Nobody Plays Harder".
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