No, that wasn't déjà vu, the Sugar Bears really did rally after losing the first set in both of their matches Friday. In the morning, Tennessee Tech snagged the first set by a score of 25-23, then the Sugar Bears turned it on.
The second stanza, Central Arkansas fought off a Tennessee Tech comeback attempt on its way to a 25-21 set victory. Senior
Alexis Stumbough had three kills down the stretch to help seal the deal and even up the contest, and the Sugar Bears wouldn't look back after that. The third set was headlined by a late run by UCA, highlighted by 3 kills by
Mackenzie Vernon and an ace by
Kendall Haywood. The valiant effort allowed UCA to take the 2-1 lead and the set by a score of 25-20. The Sugar Bears were determined to make sure that the fourth set the final one. UCA jumped out to an 8-1 lead and kept their foot on the gas, winning the match-clenching set 25-17.
UCA had 3 players with 10+ kills in
Laci Bohannan (19),
Mackenzie Vernon (11), and
Alexis Stumbough (10).
Before Friday morning, the last time the Sugar Bears took a match after losing the first set was November 5
th of last year. That span lasted for 294 days. However, this time it wouldn't even last a full day.
Squaring off with Oral Roberts to conclude the first day of action, the Sugar Bears had victory in sight in the first set. Central Arkansas had the lead 24-21 late in the first set, and then again 28-27, but Oral Roberts rattled off three straight points to swipe the first set away from the Sugar Bears, 30-28.
The second set was further proof that the Sugar Bears are not to be taken lightly, as they raced past the Golden Eagles with runs of 4 and 5 straight points to even things up and take the set 25-20.
Laci Bohannan was the highlight of the third set as she recorded 7 kills in the set and was the one to finish this set off with a score of 25-22. The fourth, and ultimately final, set started off with a quick burst from the Eagles, but consistent swings of momentum towards the Sugar Bears helped UCA take the set. The final set was truly a team effort, as the Sugar Bears had 6 different players get a kill in the set.
It was a historic day for the freshman Bohannan, when in just her second career match, she recorded 28 kills. The 28 kills ties her with Roberta Bewen for 6th all-time in single match kills, when Bewen did it versus Southern Arkansas on October 1st, 1991.
The Sugar Bears are back in action tomorrow, closing out the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational against the hosting Bears of Missouri State tomorrow afternoon. First serve against Missouri State is set for 3 p.m.
