MAGNOLIA, Ark. – With the 2025 regular season nearing the end, Mulerider Volleyball (10-16 | 4-8 GAC) still has much to compete for. The unit is set to be back home to kick off the three-game week with Henderson State (14-12 | 6-6 GAC) entering the W.T. Watson Center on Tuesday night. On Thursday, Southern Arkansas will cap off conference play for this week in Russellville, Arkansas, where the Blue and Gold will take on Arkansas Tech (13-9 | 9-3 GAC). For the squad's final match of the week, SAU will head west to Texarkana, Texas, and will match up with the NAIA's Texas A&M-Texarkana Eagles on Saturday afternoon.
 
A Look at SAU
The Muleriders come off a single-match week, with the group taking on defending Great American Conference (GAC) champions, the Ouachita Baptist Tigers (22-3 | 12-0 GAC). After falling 3-1 in Arkadelphia, the group looks for a huge bounce back this week. With the GAC Tournament just over the horizon (Nov. 20 -22), Southern Arkansas looks to hold its spot as the eighth-ranked team in the league, just one game ahead of Southern Nazarene University and Northwestern Oklahoma State University (Both 3-9).
 
The Mulerider offense is led in scoring by Springtown, Texas, native Brinklee Dauenhauer. The Texan ranks third in the GAC for total kills so far, as the junior has recorded 263. For total attacks, Dauenhauer is the conference's fourth-best in the category, with 875, ranking 45^th nationally. Leading and orchestrating the offense this season has been setter Hayden Pinard. The junior from Roseburg, Oregon, leads the unit in assists this season with her 537, ranking fifth in the league. In terms of hitting percentage, the Muleriders have the third-best attacker in the league with Allie Cooper averaging a .335 attack percentage.
 
On the defensive side of the net, Sadie Kabisch leads the way for SAU for total digs with 556, ranking her second in the conference and the nation. For her digs per set, Kabisch sits at the top of Division II, averaging 5.98 digs per set.
 
For the team, Southern Arkansas still ranks at the top of multiple categories in the GAC. Those statistical categories consist of team assists (1,154 | 12^th DII), team kills (1,232 | 18^th DII), and team total attacks (3,774 | 7^th DII). The group ranks second in the conference for team attacks per set (38.91 | 17^th DII) and third in the league for team digs (1,734 | 11^th DII).
 
SAU vs. HSU | Nov. 4 | 6:00 PM
81st Meeting, HSU leads 48-32
First Meeting: 9/29/1977 - 3-0 HSU win (Magnolia, Ark.)
Last Meeting: 9/25/2025 - 3-0 HSU win (Arkadelphia, Ark.)
Streak: W2 HSU
 
Henderson State came off the stretch of matches against the Oklahoma side of the GAC in a big way, as the Reddies defeated the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (13-9 | 9-3 GAC) last Thursday while in Russellville with a final score of 3-1. Before that, HSU finished off its Sooner State stretch 3-3, with wins against Northwestern Oklahoma State (3-0), Southeastern Oklahoma State (3-0), and Southern Nazarene (3-2). Since last playing the Muleriders, Henderson State has gone 6-5.
 
Individually, the Reddies lead the GAC in six statistical categories. For five of those, the GAC is led by Katilyn Steffes. Those five include attacks per set (13.67 | 2^nd DII), kills per set (4.57 | 7^th DII), points per set (5.05 | 10^th DII), total attacks (1,244 | 1^st DII), and total kills (416 | 2^nd DII).
 
The only statistical category that a Reddie leads for the GAC that is not named Katilyn Steffes is total digs by Kaylon Partain. Partain not only leads the conference but is also the leader for Division II in digs with 575.
 
SAU vs. ATU | Nov. 6 | 6:00 PM
79th Meeting, ATU leads 54-25
First Meeting: 9/14/1979 - 3-2 SAU win (Conway, Ark.)
Last Meeting: 9/23/2025 - 3-1 ATU win (Magnolia, Ark.)
Streak: W1 ATU

As mentioned, Arkansas Tech is most recently coming off a loss to Henderson State while at home after a final score of 3-1. Just prior to that loss, the Golden Suns were riding the hottest of hot streaks with a six-game winning streak after defeating all six Oklahoma programs (SNU 3-0, OKB 3-0, SWOSU 3-1, NWOSU 3-0, SEOSU 3-1, ECU 3-0).
 
The Golden Suns have been a fairly balanced squad this season, as the group currently has four members with at least 180 kills on their resume. Leading that pack is junior Savannah Meyer, who has produced 234 kills and averages 3.08 per set. Right behind her is Henley Hooks with 229 and averages 3.01 per set. Leading not only the team, but the conference in attack percentage is Erika Hernandez. The freshman out of Wylie, Texas, has accounted for a .385 attack percentage, which ranks 16^th in DII with the Texan recording 187 kills, 33 errors, and just 400 attacks.
 
On defense, Arkansas Tech houses the player with the sixth-most digs in the league, as Samantha Wojtowicz has recorded 365 thus far. She also ranks fifth in the conference for digs per set with 4.80 per set (47^th DII).

 
Broadcast Information
Southern Arkansas' home matchup against Henderson State will be broadcast on the Southern Arkansas University Hudl Fan page with Jeff Harrington calling all the action.
 
The Muleriders' road bout with Arkansas Tech will be broadcast on the Arkansas Tech Sports Network on YouTube.
 
For live stats coverage of both matches, check out www.MuleriderAthletics.com/coverage.
 
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