EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears ended day one of tournament play in dramatic fashion as they defeated the Southern Illinois of Edwardsville Cougars 3-2 in front of a roaring Cougar crowd on Friday night. With their backs against the wall, the Sugar Bears (6-6) erased a set four 18-13 deficit that eventually led to a five-set dramatic win.
 
Sophomore Lexi Miller led the Central Arkansas offense with 16 kills while sophomore Madi Bowles added 11 and senior Abbie Harry converted 10. Junior Emily Doss delivered a season-best performance defensively as she recorded a game-high 31 digs.
 
SET 1 – The first set had a much different feel than the morning match as both teams fought from the first point on. The Cougars created space at point 24 as they went on a 4-0 spurt to lead 16-11 midway through. The Sugar Bears pulled within three after a Miller kill, but SIUE converted a mini 3-0 rally to stay unbothered at 20-14. Central Arkansas finally threatened the Cougars after two SIUE errors and a kill from redshirt-sophomore Ravin Rhodes pulled them within three at 20-17. After a Miller kill made it 22-20, the Cougars would grab the next two points off a kill and Sugar Bear error and eventually win 25-22.
 
SET 2 – Both sides went back and forth until point 16 as the Sugar Bears got three in a row off kills from Bowles and Harry to lead 10-8 in set two. The Cougars quickly grabbed the lead from the Sugar Bears after a 4-0 spurt made it 12-10, but another Harry kill and service ace from freshman Jada Oldham tied it at 12-all. The lead bounced both ways for the next 13 points until the Sugar Bears got a stranglehold on the set with a 5-0 run that made it 23-19. The Cougars showed a glimpse of life toward the end after a kill made it 24-22, but Harry secured the win with a kill to tie the match at 1-1.
 
SET 3 – The Cougars wasted no time in taking control of the third set early as they jumped out to a commanding 12-2 advantage. The Sugar Bears clawed back after point 14 though as they took seven of the next eight to pull within four at 13-9. Central Arkansas fought to stay close over the next several points as a kill from junior Amari Mitchel and Cougar service error made it 17-13. Four would be as close as the Sugar Bears would get though as SIUE took the next three points and closed the set on an 8-3 run to win 25-16.
 
SET 4 – The home team attempted to replicate the start of the third set with an early 8-4 advantage, but the Sugar Bears halted those hopes with a 5-0 response to grab their first lead at 9-8. Four of Miller's 16 match kills came in that run as she even delivered back-to-back-to-back kills to rejuvenate her team. After a Mitchell service ace made it 14-13 Cougars, SIUE went on a crucial 4-0 run that had the crowd thinking it would be the final set. Instead of laying down, Central Arkansas showed heart and grinded out a massive 7-0 spurt to grab a 20-18 advantage that brought life out of the Conway faithful that made the trip to Illinois. After three ties were recorded over the next six points, the Sugar Bears got two big kills from Mitchell and a bad Cougar set to win it at 25-22 and go into set five with a new sense of hope.
 
SET 5 – The first eight points of the final set was a grind from both sides as four ties were recorded within the first eight points. The match shifted to the visiting team at point 15 as the Sugar Bears converted a 4-0 run off a pair of kills from Mitchell and junior Elizabeth Armstrong and service ace from freshman Alexis Stumbough to lead 11-7. The Cougars tried to keep their crowd in it by grabbing two straight points a few points later to pull within two at 12-10, but the Sugar Bears converted their attacks and ended the Cougars night with a kill from Rhodes that completed the emotional comeback win for Central Arkansas.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Sugar Bears will conclude nonconference play tomorrow afternoon as they will face the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastadons at 1:30 to wrap up the Cougar Classic.