CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears could not capitalize off a set one win on Saturday afternoon as they fell 3-1 to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders (9-9, 2-3 SLC) at the Dugan Wellness Center. The Sugar Bears (7-10, 1-3 SLC) seemed well on their way to a 2-0 match advantage as they held a 24-22 set two lead, but the Islanders grabbed the next two points and eventually won the set 28-26 to regain momentum.
 
Senior Abbie Harry led the Central Arkansas attack with a game-high 19 kills while sophomore Lexi Miller added 9. The usual setter pairing of junior Bailey Waddington and Senior Elizabeth Armstrong combined for 47 assists while junior Emily Doss led the back row with a game-high 19 digs.
 
SET ONE – The Islanders grabbed the first separation of set one after back-to-back Sugar Bear errors made it 10-6 Corpus Christi. Down 13-12, the Sugar Bears generated a timely 8-2 spurt off three kills from Harry and two from Miller to grab the 20-15 advantage late. The Islanders would pull within five after a kill made it 23-18, but Central Arkansas got back-to-back Corpus Christi errors to take set one at 25-18. The Sugar Bears started the match hitting efficiently as they recorded 14 kills on a strong .333 hitting %.
 
SET TWO – The second set bounced back and forth through the first 10 points as four ties took place. After an Islander attack error pulled the Sugar Bears within one, Central Arkansas generated four straight kills from Harry, junior Amari Mitchell and sophomore Madi Bowles to grab the 14-11 advantage midway through. Corpus Christi gave the visiting team no time to breathe though as they immediately grabbed the next three points to tie it at 14-all. As both sides traded blows over the next eight points, the Islanders crawled in front after three straight points made it 21-18. The set seemed to take a shift in the visiting team's favor over the next seven points as Central Arkansas went on a 6-1 tear to lead 24-22, but Corpus Christi stayed composed and got back-to-back kills to tie it at 24-all. The Sugar Bears spent the remainder of the set fighting to stay alive as the Islanders found themselves at game point two separate times but could not convert. Corpus Christi would not miss chance No. 3 though as back-to-back Central Arkansas errors rewarded them the 28-26 win.
 
SET THREE – The Islanders got some help from the Sugar Bears in set three as 10 Central Arkansas errors helped push the home team to an early 11-5 advantage. The Sugar Bears would make it a one-point game after a Bowles kill and Islanders error made it 16-15, but Corpus Christi fought off Central Arkansas the remainder of the way with a 9-3 run to win it 25-18.
 
SET FOUR – Both sides came out focused in set four as nine ties were recorded within the first 22 points. The Sugar Bears created some breathing room on point 23 as a Harry kill and service ace from senior Rayna Jefferis gave them the 13-11 advantage. Down 17-14, the Islanders got two Central Arkansas errors and a kill to even the score at 17-all. The next 10 points was an all-out battle as the score advanced to a 22-22 tie. The match went in the Islanders favor over the next three points though as a kill and Sugar Bear ball handling error set up a match-winning service ace for Corpus Christi.
 
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The Sugar Bears will return home on October 8 for a 6 p.m. SLC showdown with the McNeese Cowgirls during Taco Night at the Prince Center.