MAGNOLIA, Ark. - For the first time since 2015, Mulerider Volleyball sweeps Henderson State inside the W.T. Watson Center which now makes three trips to Magnolia in a row for the Reddies that they have fallen to SAU. The Muleriders get back at HSU for the sweep they were given in the Great American Tournament last November in Hot Springs.
Kayte Delong's ten kills led the troupe in scoring as well as her thirteen points that she earned on two solo blocks and two assists. The senior out of Overland Park, Kansas produced her fifth above .300 attack percentage of 2024 as her ten kills came on 28 attacks with just one error.
Lauryn Moultrie's three solo blocks were the best on the team along with her single assist. Isla Olivas produced a pair of solo blocks as well with a solo assist. Olivas was also the team's second-best scorer as she knocked down nine kills on 22 attacks and three errors (.273 | 12.5 points). The Muleriders out-blocked the Reddies seven solos to Henderson State's two while HSU had eight assisted blocks to SAU's four.
The set score may have not shown how close these two squads were, but in fact the pair of teams were fairly close in each set as the Muleriders won the three sets 25-22, 25-21, and 26-24.
There was never really much separation between the two Natural foes until the final set arrived and the Reddies looked as if they were going to elongate the match into a fourth set with a 18-13 lead over Southern Arkansas. SAU then rattled off a 6-0 rally to eclipse Henderson State 19-18. The Reddies would not be able to surpass the Muleriders for the remainder of the set, but could only tie. Southern Arkansas capped off their eighth win straight with a 26-24 set three win to sweep Henderson State.
Southern Arkansas' week is not over just yet as they are set to travel to the infamous Tucker Coliseum in Russellville, Arkansas where they will take on the Golden Suns of Arkansas Tech Thursday night at 6:00 PM. The Tucker Coliseum has been a thorn in the side of many of the Great American Conference's members, but especially for the Muleriders as they have not been able to claim victory in the ATU facility since 2004. The last time out for both, Southern Arkansas looked to have control of the match with a 2-0 lead (25-18, 25-14), but were upended by Arkansas Tech with three straight set victories (25-19, 25-21, 21-19).
