CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas volleyball program battled in a certified classic as they took the I-40 Governors Showdown 3-2.

The Sugar Bears gave Little Rock everything they could handle as both teams fought valiantly in the duel that went to the last moments of the fifth set. UCA was led by their team captain as junior Alexis Stumbough was all over the court from both the offensive and defensive sides. Stumbough produced 17 kills on a .310 hitting percentage and paired that will 15 digs. While the team leader held her own, it was the freshmen that wrote the final script. Mackenzie Vernon and Allison Holloway both impacted the game's late stages as they both produced multiple kills in the last leg of the match. Not only did they help secure the match, but they also gifted UCA a 4-0 lead in the 2021-22 I-40 Governors Showdown. 

Set 1:
The first set of the match was utter dominance for the Sugar Bears, as this youthful starting lineup showcased their fangs. UCA held a strong showing from the offensive side as they hit .455 while pairing that with a defensive movement that held the Trojans to .071. However, that showing waited until the second part of the set as UCA originally fell behind 13-12. It was on from there as senior Lexi Miller produced three kills in five points. The Sugar Bears quickly rallied after that point to claim the set 25-17. 

Set 2:
The second set was much of the same as UCA positioned even more of a defensive front to stun the Trojans. Sophomore Lexie Gregory played a massive role in that as she got her first start as the Sugar Bears No. 1 Libero. She did not disappoint as she shared the team lead with Stumbough as she posted 15 digs. That defensive presence allowed UCA to get up early quick as they held on to the lead through the set, on their way to a 25-14 victory. 

Set 3:
The third set showed how the Sugar Bears could not dominate forever as they took a 16-8 lead into the midway point. However, that did not last as UCA got winded from their staggering performance and allowed a quick shift in momentum. Little Rock put their foot forward and made that push, and UCA continued to push back. However, no rivalry is destined to end in a shutout, as Little Rock claimed the set 27-25. 

Set 4:
The Trojans swapped a successful hitting performance of.432 in the third set for a defense-first philosophy. Little Rock held UCA to a -.067 hitting split as errors plagued the Sugar Bears in the I-40 comeback. The Trojans battled through the fourth set as they did in the third and eventually claimed it 25-17. 

Set 5:
The fifth set proved what the Sugar Bears have in their tanks as various newcomers led the way. It was a back and forth contest, but when they needed it, Vernon came up big. With the score tied at eight apiece, the right-side hitter showed her abilities in the middle and on the scoring attack as she posted two massive points. Her scoring run led the Sugar Bears to a 13-12 lead, and junior Lexi Miller finished it out with two kills in the last three points as they won set 16-14. 

UCA returns to action tomorrow for Day 2 of the UCA Invitational as they battle Missouri State in the Prince Center at 6:30 p.m.

Quote from head coach John Newberry:
"I want to thank all of our fans for coming into the Prince Center after being away for 656 days. Also want to give a shout out to Little Rock because they never quit fighting, and Laura Jansen had one of the best games I have ever seen," Newberry said. "Really proud of our team and their resiliency to fight back in the fifth set. It's nice to see that we have young people in our program that can handle a very intense game."