CONWAY, Ark.: The University of Central Arkansas (5-5, SLC 3-2) dominated from the beginning and only got better as they bested New Orleans (2-6, SLC 2-4) 3-0.
The Sugar Bears did not hesitate in showcasing their ability in hitting their shots as they outscored the Privateers 75-44 in the 3-0 route. Leading that offensive charge was freshman Charlie Tidwell as she led the team with eight. From the defensive side, senior Emily Doss continues to impress as she had a match-high 19 digs.
Set 1:
UNO got off to an early start in the set, but that was the most of their damage as they initially went up 4-1. That short stint on top was the beginning of the end as UCA began pushing back. The Sugar Bears started that push when the score was seven apiece; after that point, they scored eight of the next nine to make it 15-8. Senior Amari Mitchell fueled that run as she posted three kills on the eight points. The gap was too big to overcome with a seven-point lead as the Sugar Bears only added to their streak before eventually winning it 25-16.
Set 2:
Building from the first set's momentum, UCA flipped the switch and grabbed the initial 4-0 lead. A mix of creating minimal errors and defense played a crucial role throughout the set. The Sugar Bears only gave up four errors compared to New Orleans seven. That factored into the heart of a rally for UCA as there were three errors during a 7-2 rally that made it 17-8. The rally continued as three Sugar Bears provided kills in the finishing stages (junior Ravin Rhodes, Tidwell and Mitchell) before an error finished the set at 25-16.
Set 3:
The Sugar Bears played the third set nearly perfectly as they posted a .429 hitting percentage. With only one error in the 21 attacks, it was apparent why this was the most dominant set for UCA. Early on, the Sugar Bears kept getting better as they started the set on a 9-2 stretch. More rallies ensued from that as the Bears quickly went up on the Privateers 19-8. After a short-lived three-point rally, three errors followed to make it 24-17. Momentum was on the Sugar Bears side, and it was not just cause of the score as the bench was providing an electric atmosphere. All of that motivation came from freshman Sarah Strus as she came in her first career game and got her first-ever collegiate kill. A New Orleans's error finished the storybook matchup for the Sugar Bears as they won the last set 25-12 and the match 3-0.
Up next, UCA will have a busy week as they once again face off in two matches. The Sugar Bears start on Tuesday on the road against Northwestern State at 6:30 p.m. in Natchitoches, La. Following that, they come back home to face Lamar at 6 p.m. on Thursday in the Farris Center.
Quote from coach John Newberry:
"Definitely a team win, as we were able to get everyone in to play. The biggest standout for today was Charlie Tidwell, as she was an absolute monster today. She hardly did anything wrong if at all, and I am really proud of her. Sarah Strus was able to get in for her first collegiate game, she just light the whole gym on fire when she got a dig today."
"Really proud of the way we played today, I thought we started off a little slow, but finished on a big note."
