HAMMOND, La. – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears continued their late season surge on Saturday afternoon as they defeated the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions 3-2 (12-14, 6-6 SLC) for their third straight SLC win. The Sugar Bears (12-13, 6-6 SLC) improved to 7-3 in five-set matches on the year and jumped the Lady Lions for No. 6 in the SLC standings.
 
Junior Amari Mitchell led the Sugar Bear attack with a season-high 15 kills while sophomore Madi Bowles added 12. Senior Elizabeth Armstrong led in the assists department with 28 while junior Emily Doss led the back line with a game-high 18 digs. The Sugar Bears were able to overcome an impressive showing from senior Jodi Edo of the Lady Lions as she turned in a game-high 26 kills on a .489 hitting percentage.
 
SET ONE – The Sugar Bears created impressive separation midway through the first set as four Lady Lion attack errors led Central Arkansas to a 15-6 lead. The home team did not fold though as they put together a strong 7-2 run to pull within four at 17-13. After a Southeastern Louisiana service error gave the visiting team the 22-19 advantage, the Lady Lions took the next three off two Central Arkansas errors to tie it at 22-all. The home team completed the improbable comeback six points later as they shocked the Sugar Bears and won 26-24.
 
SET TWO – After a Lady Lion error tied the second set at 4-all, the Sugar Bears went on a furious 12-3 run as three Mitchell kills and four SLU errors helped create the 16-7 advantage for the visiting team. Like the first set, the Lady Lions found a way to claw back late in the set as a 3-0 spurt pulled them within three at 23-20. After a home kill and Central Arkansas attack error made it 24-22, the Sugar Bears got a SLU service error to win it 25-23 and tie the match at 1-all.
 
SET THREE – The Lady Lions were the team to grab early separation in the third set as they converted a mini 5-2 spurt to grab the 11-7 advantage. The Sugar Bears were able to pull within one at point 29 as redshirt-junior Amanda Beaton delivered a kill to make it 16-15, but SLU finished the set on a deadly 9-2 run to win 25-17.
 
SET FOUR – Central Arkansas grabbed the first real lead of set four at point 16 as a Lady Lion service error gave the visiting team the early 10-6 advantage. After the home team battled back and took an 18-16 lead off a 3-1 run, the Sugar Bears closed the set on a 7-2 run thanks to five SLU errors to win 25-18 and force a fifth set.
 
SET FIVE – The final set was all Sugar Bears as they jumped out to a strong 7-2 lead and never looked back. The Lady Lions attempted to stay in it after receiving a Central Arkansas attack error to make it 10-5, but kills from Mitchell, Beaton and freshman Alexis Stumbough were all the Sugar Bears needed as they went on to win 15-7 and further climb the SLC standings.

ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH MARISSA COLLINS ON THE WIN 
 
"Today was a tougher battle than we had anticipated. We knew Southeastern was a good team, but our block had trouble stopping some of their attackers which was exploiting our defense and weakening our transition game. Our offense struggled in the beginning to get going, but we made some adjustments both offensively and defensively in the match that helped bring us back on top.

Today's win was a team effort. We felt that we made the right substitutions at the right time and were able to close out the fifth set with a solid win that we feel good about. 

As the end of the season starts to near, we know that every match will be a battle as teams prepare to be in the tournament."

UP NEXT
 
The Sugar Bears will return to Conway to rest before traveling to Texas for one last crucial SLC trip against the fifth-place Houston Baptist Huskies and the fourth-place Sam Houston Bearkats. Central Arkansas will open play on November 7 with the Huskies.