BOX SCORE / POSTGAME INTERVIEW WITH HEAD COACH PETER CRUZ

MONTICELLO – It was the youngest player on the team that shined on the University of Arkansas at Monticello's Senior Day as sophomore Christina Rini posted the second-best single-match hitting percentage in school history in a 3-1 loss to Southern Arkansas on Tuesday night inside Steelman Fieldhouse.

Rini totaled 13 kills on 19 attempts with only two errors for a .579 hitting percentage. The sophomore from Carol Stream, Ill. also led all players with six total blocks in the loss.

Senior Amy Kleypas also tallied 13 kills, posting a .265 hitting percentage after totaling 34 attempts with four errors. Kleypas added 12 digs for her 16^th double-double of the season in the final home match of her career. Senior Allison Beardsley led all defenders with 14 digs.

Final game scores were 13-25,21-25, 25-22 and 20-25. With the loss, UAM falls to 11-22 overall and 4-9 in the Great American Conference, clinching the No. 7 seed in the 2012 GAC Championship Tournament, which will be played November 15-17 in Searcy, Ark. SAU improves to 22-9 overall and 11-2 in the GAC.

SAU dominated the opening set, taking advantage of UAM's -.133 hitting percentage. The Cotton Blossoms responded by hitting .355 in the second set, which carried over into UAM's game three win. The Cotton Blossoms jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the final set, but the Lady Muleriders responded with a 9-1 to take the final lead of the match.

SAU was led by Denise DeVine's match-high 14 kills on 34 attempts with five errors for a .265 percentage. Monica Cox and Courtney Smith also reached double-digits offensively for SAU with 10 kills each.

The Cotton Blossoms conclude the 2012 regular season this Thursday, November 8 on the road against Harding. Harding has already clinched the 2012 GAC regular season championship and will host next week's league championship tournament. Thursday's match against Harding will begin at 7 p.m. inside Rhodes Field House.