MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Mulerider Volleyball (4-9 | 0-2 GAC) started Great American Conference competition inside the W.T. Watson Center this evening, as the Blue and Gold took on the Henderson State Reddies (7-7 | 1-1 GAC). Southern Arkansas fell in the outing, as HSU defeated SAU with a 3-0 final score.
Vs. Henderson State (L, 3-0)
Peighton Killeen led Southern Arkansas and had the second-most kills in the outing, as number 11 tallied 11 kills in the bout. She also recorded the lone double-double for SAU, with 11 digs.
Recording a career-high kills in a single match was Ryleigh Layton, with the sophomore accounting for eight kills on 14 attempts, which is good for a .500 attack percentage.
Kendall Toliver recorded an impressive outing on defense, as the senior sold out every play and led the game in digs, as she recorded 28 in the match, outdoing the nation's leader in digs.
Set One (L, 25-22)
Despite the sweep, the Muleriders were far from out of match, as the Blue and Gold hung with the Reddies nearly the whole way through sets one and two. In the opening round, the two groups battled to find an edge over the other, as Henderson State gained a two-point advantage and built on that lead, eventually jumping to four-point lead after a 5-0 run. SAU quickly responded with a 4-0 stretch, which a Mulerider attack error gave the Reddies the spark they needed to recapture the momentum and then go on a 4-0 stretch. SAU responded well though and scored three-straight to tie the set before the round got into a shootout back and forth. The shootout lasted until the Muleriders were down just one with a 22-21 score, as HSU scored three of the next four points to win the opening set.
Set Two (L, 25-23)
The Reddies got off to a hot start, as the unit went up 5-1 before the Muleriders began to mount a comeback with three-straight points, 5-4. After another Reddie point, SAU countered with two more, tying the set at 6-6, and then eventually 7-7. HSU gained a two-point lead with back-to-back kills and managed to keep that lead and expand it with a 3-0 stretch to go up 14-10. Henderson State continued to keep its foot on the gas with its four-point advantage staying intact until the Blue and Gold scored a 3-0 run and brought the match back within one. The Reddies responded accordingly with a 3-0 stretch of their own, going back up four now at 21-17. SAU attempted to make the late comeback before, getting back within one at 24-23, but the Reddies solidified a set two win with a Kelis Battles kill.
Set Three (L, 25-21)
Henderson State got off to a better start than the previous set, with the unit getting up to a 6-1 beginning. The Muleriders eventually countered with a 5-2 run, closing the gap to a 8-7 score. The Reddies were able to snuff out the Blue and Gold comeback, with the squad building a lead of 17-11, and eventually 21-12. After that nine-point deficit, Jessica Porten and Ryleigh Layton began to light up the scoreboard, as the two put together a 4-0 stretch, led by Layton's three-straight kills. Even after a couple of kills from HSU, Layton tacked on three more of her own. Despite the surge from the sophomore out of Mansfield, Texas, Henderson State went on to win set three.
Up Next:
Coming up next on the schedule for the Muleriders, the Blue and Gold will make the trip to Russellville, Arkansas to take on the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns for a Thursday night (Sep. 17) showdown at 6:00 PM.
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