KENNESAW, Ga. – The University of Central Arkansas volleyball team fell to Kennesaw State on the road Sunday afternoon. The loss was the seventh straight and dropped UCA to 6-14 overall with a 0-8 ASUN mark.
UCA was scrapping to start the match, keeping things tight at eight all, but a 6-1 run from the Owls made it 14-9. The Owls mixed in two more 3-0 runs answering a 3-0 run of UCA to eventually make it 21-14, and from that point, the lead was too much to overcome for UCA. Kennesaw State finished strong in the first set to take it 25-17.
A strong start was certainly needed for UCA to even things and swing back momentum to its side, and it was not what the Sugar Bears got. Kennesaw State got in front 6-0, and then used a 4-0 run to make it 13-6. UCA would climb out of that deficit later on thanks to a crucial 4-0 run capped by a Lexie Gregory ace to tie it at 23 all. Unfortunately, the Owls took the next two points to win the second set, 25-23, so the fast start by Kennesaw State came back to haunt the Sugar Bears.
The Owls would once again start hot in the third set, opening up a 7-3 lead, and would later go up 13-3. The Sugar Bears answered with six straight points to make it 16-11. A 5-1 scoring run for the Sugar Bears would tighten things up, but once again, Kennesaw State would drive home the last two points to take the third set, 25-20, and another fast start by the opponent comes back to hurt the Sugar Bears.
Laci Bohannan was once again in double figures with 13 kills on the afternoon while also putting up nine digs. Both Charleston Tidwell and Mackenzie Vernon finished with nine kills. Four different Sugar Bears finished with an assist, with Caylan Koons finishing with 30 and seven digs.
The Sugar Bears finally come home next weekend, hosting Jacksonville on Friday, October 20th at 6:00 p.m. and North Florida on Sunday, October 22nd at 1:00 p.m.
