NEW ORLEANS – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears could not capitalize on their set one win on Saturday afternoon as they fell 3-1 to the New Orleans Privateers (10-10, 3-3 SLC) at the Human Performance Center. The Sugar Bears (8-11, 2-4 SLC) were one point away from forcing a fifth set as they held the late 24-23 set four advantage, but the Privateers took the next three points to secure the win.
 
Senior Abbie Harry led the Sugar Bears with 18 kills and 15 digs while sophomore Madi Bowles added 12 kills. Junior Bailey Waddington led in the assists department with 28 while junior Emily Doss led both sides defensively with a game-high 24 digs. Despite the loss, the Sugar Bears turned in a nice offensive game with 56 kills on a .240 hitting percentage.
 
SET ONE – After Harry's fourth kill of the set made it 9-7 Sugar Bears, the Privateers converted the first run of the day and took an 11-9 advantage off a 4-0 spurt. Central Arkansas delivered a 4-0 response four points later as they got two New Orleans attack errors, another Harry kill and Doss service ace to regain the 16-14 lead.The set shifted in the visiting team's favor at point 34 as the Sugar Bears got kills from four separate players and converted a crucial 4-1 run to lead 21-17. The Privateers would pull within three after a Sugar Bear attack error made it 22-19, but Central Arkansas would take the next three points off two home team errors and a Harry kill to win 25-19.
 
SET TWO – The Privateers controlled the first 18 points of the second set until the Sugar Bears got three straight New Orleans errors and two Harry kills to grab the 12-11 lead. The home team attempted to create some breathing room a few points later as they got a kill and service ace to lead 17-14, but Central Arkansas responded with three straight kills from sophomore Lexi Miller to tie it at 17. The Sugar Bears would grab the lead after a 4-1 spurt started by another Harry kill made it 22-21, but the Privateers would get two straight Central Arkansas errors and deliver two straight service aces to win it 25-22.
 
SET THREE – The home team carried the positive momentum into set three as they jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage. The Privateers helped Central Arkansas get back in it at point 20 as they gifted the visiting team four straight errors that sparked a 5-0 Sugar Bear run to tie it at 12-12. After the next two points went to both sides, New Orleans converted a 3-0 spurt to lead 16-13 and would not lose the lead again. A Privateer attack error pulled the Sugar Bears within two at 22-20, but the home team grabbed the next two points and went on to win 25-22.
 
SET FOUR – The Privateers continued their early set dominance as they got five Sugar Bear errors that helped create a 7-0 New Orleans run to give them the early 13-8 advantage. Central Arkansas would pull within one over the next 10 points as they got two kills from freshman Kailee Moon and a Harry service ace to make it 16-15. After the Privateers got a kill to lead 21-18, the Sugar Bears converted a crucial 3-0 run off two home team errors to tie it at 21-all. Central Arkansas would convert an identical 3-0 spurt a few points later off two more New Orleans errors and a Harry kill to land them at 24-23, but the Privateers turned in one final response as they got a bad Central Arkansas set that sparked a 3-0 run to take the 26-24 win.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Sugar Bears will return home and look for their second straight home SLC win as they will face the Northwestern State Lady Demons on October 15 at the Prince Center.