Corpus Christi, Texas – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears are one win away from a return to the NCAA Tournament, with only the Northwestern State Lady Demons standing in their path. Central Arkansas won both meetings in the regular season, defeating the Lady Demons 3-1 in Conway on October 3^rd, and picking up another 3-1 win in Natchitoches on November 12^th. The two teams will square off this afternoon at 2:05 in the championship match of the Southland Conference Tournament.

Top-seeded Central Arkansas secured a spot in the championship match with a 3-0 win over eighth-seeded Stephen F. Austin and a 3-1 win over fifth-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. In the tournament, the Sugar Bears are hitting .283 and holding their opponents to a hitting percentage of .121, while averaging 15.29 kills per set. Heather Schnars is leading the way for Central Arkansas, hitting .329 while averaging 4.71 kills per set and 0.57 aces. Jessica Nagy is just behind Schnars, hitting .298 with 3.14 kills and 0.86 blocks. Marissa Collins is averaging 13.29 assists per set, a full 1.30 more than her closest competitor. On the defensive front, the Sugar Bears are getting 5.43 digs per set from Shelbee Berringer and 1.50 blocks per set from Paige Gantar.

Second-seeded Northwestern Louisiana took out seventh-seeded McNeese State 3-0 in the first round, and sixth-seeded Houston Baptist in the second round to advance to its first ever SLC Tournament Championship match. The Lady Demons are hitting .198 in the tournament and holding their opponents to a percentage of just .076. Ashley Elrod leads the way offensively for NWLA, hitting .269 with 3.67 kills and 0.33 aces per set, while Stacy DiFrancesco is averaging 5.00 digs and 0.50 aces. Keelie Arneson is averaging 7.33 digs per set, with Glynna Johnson is turning in 1.50 blocks per set.

The winner of the championship match will receive the SLC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.