SEARCY, Ark. — For the first time since 2015, Southern Arkansas pushed the Harding Lady Bisons to five sets while in Searcy, as the Muleriders went the distance with their in-state opponent. In the match, the Blue and Gold fell to its Great American Conference foe after winning sets one and two, and then falling in their next three.
SAU Statistical Leaders
Three Muleriders led the group in scoring, as Brinklee Dauenhauer, Courtnee Morgan, and Nasiya Graham all accounted for 11 kills, while Dauenhauer was also second on the group in digs with 21 and tallied her sixth double-double of the campaign.
With the most assists in the outing, Hayden Pinard led the group with her 36 assists, while Kendall Toliver led the squad in digs with her most this season, recording 36 digs.
Three Muleriders recorded multiple blocks in the bout, with Graham, Morgan, and Jessica Porten all recording three assisted blocks, while Morgan and Porten accounted for a solo block each.
Set One (W, 25-22)
The Muleriders went on to win the opening set, which accounted for the fourth-straight match that Southern Arkansas took set one from the Lady Bisons. Harding started the opening round with a 2-0 lead, and SAU eventually overcame the HU advantage, as the Blue and Gold went up at the 7-6 mark in the set. After the two got tied up at 8-8, the Muleriders went on a 5-0 run, going up 13-8. SAU was even able to extend its advantage to seven points, at 21-14, before the Lady Bisons began to emerge back into the set, recording a 8-2 stretch, 23-22. An attack error and Ryleigh Layton kill ended up securing the set for the Muleriders.
Set Two (25-21)
The two groups started the following set with a back-and-forth stretch up until SAU went up four points at 13-9. Southern Arkansas was able to hold a three-point advantage for a minute before the Lady Bisons went on a 6-0 stretch and claimed the lead at 19-16. With the momentum flipped on them, SAU could have backed down then but did not, accounting for a 6-1 run, taking back the lead at 22-20. Even after another kill by HU, a kill from Ava Rann, a Harding attack error, and a Jessica Porten kill won the second set for the Muleriders.
Set Three (L, 25-17)
The Lady Bisons response to having their back against their own wall ended up going in their favor in a big way, as the unit was able to go up big with a 19-13 lead, but was countered with a 3-0 stretch from SAU to bring the set back to a three-point deficit at 19-16. In a familiar position as the last round, Harding did not let up again, scoring four straight and stealing all momentum, and scoring two more to SAU's one.
Set Four (25-18)
A few stretches began the fourth, as the two found themselves tied at 4-4. Following that, the Lady Bisons went on a points barrage, scoring 14 to SAU's five, going up 18-9. The Muleriders attempted to surge back, and nearly did so, bringing the deficit to three, 21-18, but were unable to complete the set comeback, as Harding scored the next four.
Set Five (L, 15-10)
The beginning to the fifth set, just the second one between the two squads since 2015, was very tight until a 3-0 run by HU to go up 7-4. No matter the fight SAU showed, Harding did not let up its lead. While the Muleriders did bring the set back within two at 12-10, HU capped off the match with a 3-0 stretch.
Up Next:
Southern Arkansas will be back home this Thursday, with the Muleriders hosting Great American Conference rival, the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms. The two groups will compete at 6:00 PM, on September 24.
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