MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Arkansas-Monticello's volleyball squad finally ended it losing streak after 13 matches with a 3-1 win over Williams Baptist in the team's finale of a tri-match at Southern Arkansas on Sept. 18.

The team very nearly ended the streak in the first match against the home standing Southern Arkansas Muleriders.

FIRST MATCH  - Southern Arkansas 3, Arkansas-Monticello 2

The Cotton Blossoms jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the match after two closely contested sets, but SAU roared back in the third and fourth frames to knot the score at two sets each heading into the fifth and deciding set.

Southern Arkansas sprinted out to an 11-5 lead in the fifth set and UAM couldn't mount a sustained rally and eventually fell 15-10.

Leslie Polanco led UAM with 17 kills in the contest while MarKayla Dickie added 14 and Laurene Cushinberry chipped in with 10. Shayna Daniels led the team with 33 assists.

The Muleriders got 11 kills from Seven Powers and 45 assists from Lexie Kruse.


SECOND MATCH - Arkansas-Monticello 3, Williams Baptist 1

The team emerged from the break between matches focused and determined to stop the slide.

UAM and Williams Baptist battled evenly through the early part of the first game of their match, but the Blossoms put together an impressive 15-4 run to close out the opening frame, 25-12. The run and the set ended on a kill from Cushinberry.

Williams Baptist rallied to capture the second set of the match. The Eagles jumped out to an 18-9 lead, but UAM would rally. The Weevils put together another impressive run – this time 11-2 – to knot the score at 22. The Blossoms' charge ended there, however, as WBU reeled off three straight points to knot the match at one set each.

Arkansas-Monticello pounded Williams Baptist in the third frame. UAM led 16-6 at one point in the set and never looked back, cruising to a 25-15 final to take a 2-1 lead in the match. It was more of the same in the deciding fourth set. The Weevils held their foot on the accelerator and put Williams Baptist away 25-15 to notch the victory.

Zealia Kleitz led the Blossoms with 14 kills in the match while Kassidy Pomeroy added eight. Setter Toryn Cox tallied 25 assists, 11 digs, and three service aces.

The Eagles were paced by Alyssa Leatherman's 7 kills in the contest.

The Blossoms end the day with a 2-15 overall mark and an 0-4 tally in Great American Conference play.

UAM will return to action on Thursday at home against Arkansas Tech. The match is set to begin at 6 p.m.