BEAUMONT, Texas – The University of Central Arkansas volleyball team collected its third Southland Conference victory and improved to 9-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play. Abbie Harry, Amanda Beaton, and Madi Bowles all recorded double-digit kills in the Sugar Bears' 3-0 victory (25-23, 25-16, 25-13) over Lamar (6-11, 1-6 SLC).

Harry led the team with a match-high 14 kills, while Beaton and Bowles posted 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Elizabeth Armstrong and Bailey Waddington each tallied 19 assists. Emily Doss led UCA defensively with a match-high 19 digs and Rayna Jefferies added 14. Armstrong and Kailee Moon led the Sugar Bears at the net with three total blocks each. UCA put forth a dominant effort defensively and held the Cardinals to hit just .071 for the match and had the advantage in digs (55-46). Central Arkansas produced more kills than Lamar (47-28).

Set One – The first set was tightly contested and featured eight ties. The Cardinals held a 23-21 lead late in the first, but the Sugar Bears were unfazed and scored the frame's next four points and won the first set 25-23. Harry produced a set-high seven kills, while Beaton and Bowles added three. Doss and Jefferies each scooped up a set-high seven digs. 

Set Two – Lamar jumped out to an early 6-3 lead to start the second set, but UCA rattled off four unanswered points to take a 7-6 lead. With the set tied at 9-9, the Sugar Bears went on a 7-0 run and gained a commanding lead, 16-9. The Cardinals pulled within seven, 23-16, but the UCA lead was too much to overcome and the Sugar Bears took the second set, 25-16. Bowles notched a set-high five kills to lead UCA. Doss and Jefferies led UCA with four digs each. Ravin Rhodes produced a total of two blocks for a set high. 

Set Three – The Sugar Bears held a slight 4-3 edge in the third set, before they went on a 9-1 run and extended their lead to 13-4. UCA ended the set on an 8-2 run and claimed a 25-13 victory in the third set. Harry recorded three consecutive kills, which accounted for three of the final four points for the Sugar Bears. Beaton tallied a set-high six kills. Defensively, Doss collected a set-high seven digs. 

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH MARISSA COLLINS ON THE WIN

"I'm so proud of the way our team played today. We had relentless effort and a fearless attitude. The blocking and defensive adjustments we have been working to make this week finally clicked for us and it definitely showed in this match.

Abbie Harry, Amanda Beaton and Madi Bowles had a really great offensive night and were unstoppable at the net while Emily Doss and Rayna Jefferis put up big numbers on defense. 

This was a team win and we are looking to build off of this in the coming week against SFA and Abilene Christian." 

UP NEXT 

The Sugar Bears return to the Prince Center for a Southland Conference matchup against Stephen F. Austin on Thursday, October 24. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.