Box Score Box Score

THE RUNDOWN
FORT SMITH, Ark. – First-place UAFS proved its standing Thursday night as the Lions toppled St. Edward's University in three sets, 25-13, 25-14, 25-14 at the Stubblefield Center. The Lions' (20-6, 7-1) Susannah Kelley paced UAFS' .248 hitting effort with 36 assists and 11 digs defensively to lead the home team.

The Hilltoppers (14-9, 4-5) hit just .018 with 24 kills, 22 errors and 114 attempts. Despite the low mark, Senior KATIE MARTIN collected her third-straight match hitting .400 or better with her nine kills on 20 attempts with just one error (.400) in the losing effort.

Anna Demmer led UAFS offensively with 13 kills. The Lions completed the season sweep of the Hilltoppers with UAFS also defeating SEU in Austin Sept. 30 in four sets. The last time the Hilltoppers defeated the Lions came Nov. 7, 2013 in Austin, since then UAFS has won nine-straight.

With three matches to spare, St. Edward's is still very much in the race to advance to its second consecutive Heartland Conference Tournament. The seven-team league takes the top four. SEU trails UAFS (7-1), St. Mary's (6-2) and Lubbock Christian (5-3) in the standings while tied with Dallas Baptist at 4-5. Newman, Lubbock Christian and Dallas Baptist await SEU in its final three matches of the regular season with the conference tournament slated to begin Nov. 16.

HIGHLIGHTS
• KATIE MARTIN had nine kills and just one error on 20 attacks to hit .400. It was the senior's third consecutive match hitting .400 or better.
• MORGAN BECKHAM's 12th dig of the match Thursday was the 1,600th of her career, and she finished with 13 for the night.
• MADISON MCCLURG surpassed the 300-career digs mark with her fifth of the match at UAFS and finished the match with a season-high 11. It was the first time this season and ninth time of her career to reach double-digit digs.

STAT OF THE GAME I
24 – SEU's 24 kills was the lowest output of the season for the team against a Heartland Conference opponent and second overall (23 vs. Arkansas Tech, 9/5)

WHAT'S NEXT
SEU resumes Heartland Conference on the road at Newman in Wichita, Kan. Saturday at Noon.