Conway, Ark. – Central Arkansas started off their home slate strong with wins over Louisiana Monroe and Southern Illinois.
The Sugar Bears started off the Central Arkansas Invitational on a stellar note, beating the Warhawks in three straight sets. UCA used a complete team effort to sprint past ULM on Friday morning.
The first set was very back-and-forth, as the largest lead for either team in this set was three. There were three lead changes after UCA pulled within 20-19. The Sugar Bears went on two separate 3-0 runs to pull away from ULM and win a competitive set, 26-24. The second set was much of the same, a competitive match where neither team really pulled away until the very end, and Central Arkansas finished off their final run with a Kendall Haywood kill, sealing a 25-20 win. With a 2-0 set lead, the Sugar Bears smelled blood in the water, and really pounced on the Warhawks, stampeding out to an 18-9 lead. Louisiana Monroe never quit, and the Sugar Bears had to fend off a late run by the Warhawks, as they finished the set on a 9-5 run, but UCA eventually won 25-18.
Kendall Haywood had a great game in her first home match as a Sugar Bear, as she led Central Arkansas in kills with 15. Next was Laci Bohannan with 12, and then Lilly Taylor with her best game on the young season, providing 10 kills. Anna Myers gave the Sugar Bears great chances to convert scoring chances, pitching in 42 kills, easily her best performance on the year, and finished 2 assists shy of her career high.
The second match of the day had much different vibes after such a great early game. Unlike the first match of the day, Southern Illinois was able to get of to a fast start and put UCA in a considerable deficit early on. The Salukis had the Sugar Bears reeling early, taking a 9-4 advantage and never looked back. Before the Sugar Bears could blink, they were trailing 23-11. UCA didn't surrender, rattling off a 4-0 run, but they eventually dropped the first set 25-16. The second set unfolded incredibly similar, with the game knotted at six apiece, the Salukis ran off seven in a row to grab a 13-6 advantage. They went on another run and led 22-11, and the Sugar Bears were once again reeling. Once again, UCA never quit, but ultimately, they fell in the second set, 25-17.
Early in the day, the Sugar Bears smelled blood in the water, but now the tabled had spun around, and this time it was the Sugar Bears who were bleeding. However, UCA got out to a much sharper start in the third set, were communicating much better, they had the crowd behind them, and this set looked much more like one earlier in the day. With a 24-20 Sugar Bear lead, the crowd clapped rhythmically before the serve and were sent into a roar as SIU served into the net, giving UCA their first set victory. The fourth set was very similar, with an early UCA run answered by SIU, then a late 5-0 run by the Sugar Bears was answered, but this time UCA finished strong and forced a decisive fifth set, winning 25-21. The final set was marked by a huge momentum shift by UCA. Trailing 11-9, the Sugar Bears decided to end things right there, going on a 6-0 run capped by a Lexie Gregory ace, capping a great day of Volleyball at the Prince Center.
Kendall Haywood once again had a good match, and Jamiryana Hall came up big as well, with both tallying 13 kills. Anna Myers once again led the team in assists, this time with 26.
The Sugar Bears will take on the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters at 1:00 on Saturday at the Prince Center to conclude the Central Arkansas Invitational.
