MAGNOLIA, Ark. — A win has been added to the win column in Great American Conference action, as Mulerider Volleyball defeated the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms by sweeping the group on Thursday night inside the W.T. Watson Center.
Two individuals led the unit in scoring, as Jessica Porten and Peighton Killeen both accounted for 10 kills in the outing. Out of those with ten or more attacks, Killeen led in attack percentage, with .320. The freshman was also the team's leader in service aces, tacking one three and leading the game.
Recording a double-double with assists and digs, senior Hayden Pinard, who was recognized prior to the game for surpassing 1,000 career assists in the Blue and Gold last week, accounted for 33 assists and 11 digs.
The Roseburg, Oregon native tallied the second-most digs of the night for SAU, with Kendall Toliver and Charley Walker both recording 12 digs each.
Set One (25-21)
Both groups in this game were in search of their first win the league, and the Blossoms made sure that Southern Arkansas took notice, going up 3-0 early with a kill and two service aces. SAU was able to respond quickly thanks to a UAM service error starting a 3-0 stretch of the Muleriders' own. Monticello jumped back to a two-point advantage, up 6-4, before the Blue and Gold reclaimed the lead at 7-6 with another 3-0 stretch. UAM put the pressure back on the Muleriders though, with the unit going on a 5-2 run for an 11-8 lead, forcing an SAU timeout. After the timeout, Southern Arkansas regained its footing, tying the set back up at 13-13. The round went back and forth until SAU looked to have pulled out far enough ahead with a 20-17 lead, but the lead did not last long until the Blossoms tied the set again, at 20-20. After tying the set, Southern Arkansas finally snuffed out the Cotton Blossoms with a 5-1 stretch to win round number one.
Set Two (25-21)
While the following set did not have the same beginning, the Cotton Blossoms still came out firing early, as Arkansas-Monticello jumped to a 6-2 advantage in the set. The Muleriders managed to claw back into the round, eventually taking the lead at 11-10 after a 9-4 run. UAM responded with a 4-0 stretch to go up 14-11, but SAU tied it back up at 14-14 with three-straight points. From the then on, the set was back and forth until a 4-0 spot by SAU gave the Blue and Gold a 22-19 lead. While the Blossoms added on two more points, it was not enough with SAU recording kills from Jessica Porten, Peighton Killeen, and Maddie McSpadden to win the set.
Set Three (25-22)
Just like the two previous sets, the Cotton Blossoms started up early on the Muleriders, beginning the third set with another 6-2 start. Nearly exactly how the first round panned out, SAU was able to tie the set at 13-13, but UAM went back up three with a 4-1 stretch, 17-14. Southern Arkansas was able to counter the Blossoms stretch with a 5-2 run to tie the bout at 19-19. After a couple of back-and-forth points, 21-10 UAM, the Blue and Gold capped off the match with a 4-1 stretch to clinch GAC win number one of the campaign.
Up Next:
The Sooner State stretch has arrived for the Muleriders, as Southern Arkansas will take to Southeastern Oklahoma State in Durant, Oklahoma next Thursday (October. 1). The following day (Oct. 2), SAU will head to Ada, Oklahoma to take on East Central.
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