Conway – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears close out the non-conference portion of their schedule this weekend, heading to Orlando, Florida to take part in the Holiday Inn Orlando East/UCF Challenge, hosted by the University of Central Florida. UCA will battle Central Michigan at 9:00 AM on Friday morning, before challenging UCF at 6:30 PM Friday night. The Sugar Bears will finish the weekend on Saturday, squaring off with UNC-Asheville at 10:00 AM.
Central Arkansas (4-6) is coming off a 1-2 weekend at the A-State Invitational in Jonesboro, Arkansas. UCA fell to Arkansas State 3-0 and Tulsa 3-1 before salvaging the weekend with a 3-0 win over UT-Martin. Freshman setter
Elizabeth Armstrong was named to the All-Tournament team, after averaging 10.6 assists per set. She opened the weekend with a season-high 21 assists, and bettered that output in each match, passing out 39 against Tulsa and tying for the third-highest mark in program history for assists in a three-set match with 46 against UT-Martin. On the season, Central Arkansas has shared the load offensively, with sophomores
Samantha Anderson (2.36 kills per set) and
Haley Tippett (2.29), and senior
Rachel Sharp (2.20) averaging over two kills per set, and junior
Megan Nash (1.84) and sophomore
Kellen Dunn (1.64) averaging over 1.50 kills per set. Defensively, UCA is led by sophomore
Amanda Dimon's 3.11 digs per set and sophomore
Savanah Allen's 1.21 blocks per set.
Central Michigan (5-4) turned in a 3-0 record at the Valparaiso Popcorn Festival Tournament last weekend, defeating South Dakota State 3-0 before recording back-to-back 3-1 wins over Valpo and Southeast Missouri State. Senior setter Kathia Sanchez was named Co-MVP of the tournament, while junior outside hitter Jordan Bueter was named All-Tournament. The pair leads the Chippewa offense, with Bueter averaging 3.07 kills per set and Sanchez dishing out 7.67 assists per set. On the defensive front, Bueter averages a team-high 3.47 digs per set, while freshman middle blocker Jayla Wesley is averaging 0.96 blocks per set. This is the first meeting between the Sugar Bears and the Chippewas.
UCF (7-3) record a 2-1 record at the UCF Classic last weekend, defeating Florida Atlantic 3-1 before falling to Louisiana State 2-3. The Knights ended the weekend with a 3-0 win over Seattle. Senior outside hitter Jale Hervey and freshman right side Alli Sabol were named All-Tournament. On the season, Hervey and Sabol lead the Knight attack with averages of 4.03 and 2.56 kills per set, respectively. Sophomore Miranda Watkins and junior Farah Rajaee split setting duties for UCF, with Watkins leading the team at 6.46 assists per set and Rajaee just behind at 5.70. Defensively, UCF is led by sophomore Jordan Pingel's 4.86 digs per set, and freshman Jeanne Westney's 1.08 blocks per set. This marks the first meeting between the Knights and the Sugar Bears.
UNC-Asheville (5-2) comes into the weekend winners of five matches in a row. The Bulldogs were a perfect 3-0 at the UNC-Asheville Invitational last weekend, earning 3-0 wins over North Carolina Central and Alabama A&M and a 3-2 victory over Stetson. Freshman Ansley Rooks was named All-Tournament, while senior Shelby Erikson earned Tournament MVP honors. On the season, sophomore Cara Guthrie leads the Bulldog attack with an average of 3.40 kills per set, while freshmen Kailey Hackett (5.73 assists per set) and Carter Kennedy (4.73) lead UNC-Asheville in assists. Sophomore Madisen Zyburt leads the Bulldogs with an average of 4.14 digs per set, while senior Madison Vaughn leads the way with 0.68 blocks per set. The Bulldogs and Sugar Bears will meet for the first time this weekend.
