MAGNOLIA, Ark. – With the final stretch ahead for Mulerider Volleyball, Alli Harrell's squad looks to build their case to secure their spot in the 2025 Great American Conference Championships in Shawnee, Oklahoma, as Southern Arkansas currently sits in the eighth spot in the current GAC standings. The Blue and Gold are seeking their second conference tournament berth in the last three seasons, which would mark Harrell's second trip to the tourney. For the final stretch of the regular season, the Muleriders are set to be paired up against the Harding Lady Bisons for a Tuesday night clash in Searcy, Arkansas, at 6:00 PM, and the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms back inside the W.T. Watson Center for senior night on Thursday at 6:00 PM.
 
For senior night against Arkansas-Monticello, Mulerider Volleyball will recognize two seniors in Sadie Kabisch and Samantha Ward.
 
Well at the top for the Muleriders in scoring is still junior outside hitter Brinklee Dauenhauer, as the Springtown, Texas native has accounted for 323 kills this season and averages 3.02 per set. Dauenhauer currently ranks 90^th in the country for her total kills, in which she also ranked second in the GAC.
 
The Muleriders are also led on defense by Sadie Kabisch. The senior libero prepares for her final regular season outings in the Blue and Gold, as the native of Henrietta, Texas, is currently ranked number one for both total digs and digs per set. Kabisch's 652 digs and 6.09 digs per set are currently the nation's best, as the senior is also the lone player in DII with at least 600 digs this season.
 
Southern Arkansas still holds at the top in multiple statistical categories for the GAC, as the Muleriders are the conference leaders for most team assists (1,270 | 12^th DII), most team kills (1,357 | 15^th DII), and most team attacks (4,130 | 6^th DII).
 
SAU vs. HU | Nov. 11 | 6:00 PM
76th Meeting, HU leads 56-19
First Meeting: 9/15/1983 - 3-0 SAU win (Neutral Site)
Last Meeting: 9/30/2025 - 3-2 HU win (Magnolia, Ark.)
Streak: W19 HU
 
The Muleriders and the Lady Bisons make their second acquaintance this season, as the groups met up in September for an absolute thriller of a match that went to five sets. Southern Arkansas sought to capture its first win over Harding since 2015, but the group came up just shy in the fifth set, 15-11.
 
Since that meeting with the Muleriders, HU has gone 9-1 and expanded its overall record to 21-4 (12-2 GAC). The Lady Bisons' only loss in that time frame came against the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs while on the road (0-3 | 10/17/25). After that, the Lady Bisons have not lost since, even defeating the last remaining undefeated team in the GAC, the Ouachita Baptist Tigers.
 
Harding is led in scoring by junior outside hitter Ella Drake. A native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Drake leads the Lady Bisons with her 275 kills. Her total kills rank her fifth in the GAC, while also being top ten in the league for attacks per set (8.84 | 10^th), kills per set (2.96 | 9^th), points per set (3.57 | 6^th), service aces (43 | 3^rd), and total attacks (822 | 7^th).
 
Defensively, for the Lady Bisons, the unit is led in blocks by Rauly Eason, with her 80 total blocks. Eason is tied for the team lead for solo blocks with 15 (Philomina Klotz) and leads the team in block assists with 65. Sticking with the defense, for digs the group is led by Maddie Burrough, who has accounted for 340 digs this season and ranks ninth in the GAC.
 
SAU vs. UAM | Nov. 13 | 6:00 PM
42nd Meeting, SAU leads 22-19
First Meeting: 10/11/2005 - 3-1 UAM win (Magnolia, Ark.)
Last Meeting: 10/2/2025 - 3-0 SAU win (Monticello, Ark.)
Streak: W7 SAU
 
Making their second meeting this season will be the Muleriders and the Cotton Blossoms to cap off the 2025 regular season. Last time out between these two rivals, Southern Arkansas defeated Arkansas-Monticello while in Monticello, Arkansas, back in October. In that matchup, SAU overwhelmed the Blossoms with a sweeping victory after winning those three sets 25-18, 25-17, 25-18.
 
The Cotton Blossoms are still in search of their first conference win this season, and the group's first win since September 20, as Arkansas-Monticello has only secured victory in one set since September 20. Before the 42^nd Battle of the Timberlands for volleyball, the Cotton Blossoms will face Henderson State on Tuesday night (Nov. 11) for the group's senior night.
 
Leading UAM in kills this season is junior Sophia Grubbs. The outside hitter from Okinawa, Japan, leads her unit for kills as Grubbs has recorded 137 thus far.  Also accounting for 100+ kills this season are Jalen Scroggins (108) and Brianna Converse (102).
 
Recording the most digs for the Cotton Blossoms this season is Jorden Wehr, a junior out of Frisco, Texas. The Texas native leads her group with her 296 digs and averages 4.35 per set.
 
Arkansas-Monticello still houses the lone player in the GAC this season to have recorded a triple-double, as Mia Smalls accounted for the conference's only triple-double with 10 kills, 13 assists, and 11 digs against Christian Brothers (9/20/25).
 
Broadcast Information
Southern Arkansas' home matchup against Harding will be broadcast on the Southern Arkansas University Hudl Fan page with Connor Harrington calling all the action.
 
The Muleriders' road bout with Harding will be broadcast on the Harding Sports Network with the link above.
 
For live stats coverage of both matches, check out www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage.
 
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