CONWAY, Ark. – The University of Central Arkansas volleyball team fell in another close four-set affair, this time to North Alabama. The loss was the tenth straight for UCA, dropping to a 6-17 and 0-11 in the conference.
The Lions started out playing like their hair was on fire, leading 6-1 early, and eventually would stretch the lead to 13-6. Slow starts have been somewhat of an issue for UCA as of recent, and it would continue Wednesday, with UNA forcing UCA to crawl out of an early deficit. The Sugar Bears got within 14-10, but then the Lions took a 22-12 lead before the Sugar Bears could blink. A 3-0 Lions run closed out the set, leaving UCA in a 1-0 hole after UNA took the first set, 25-15
UCA started much stronger in the second, getting out to a 5-0 lead, then stretching it to a 9-4 lead. Later, a 4-0 run by UNA cut the lead to 14-12, but the Sugar Bears answered with a 4-0 lead of their own, stretching the lead to 18-12. Another 4-0 run by UNA was again answered with a 3-0 lead to take the UCA lead to 21-16. Down the stretch, UCA rattled off three in a row, started by a Caylan Koons kill, to take the second set, 25-19.
Running off the adrenaline of winning the second set, the Sugar Bears started well again in the third set, using a 6-1 stretch to take a 12-7 lead. UNA held strong, kept within striking distance, and took five straight points capped off by a service ace to tie it at 18 all. Soon after, a 3-0 run by the Sugar Bears gave UCA a prime opportunity to break through, with a 23-20 lead. The crucial part of the set came at the very end, with the set tied at 24, UCA took the lead on a kill by Koons, but UNA took three straight to seal it, 27-25, and take a 2-1 set lead.
The opening stretch of the fourth set mirrored the first set for the Sugar Bears, falling in an 8-1 hole. UCA got back in the mix with a 5-0 run, making it 10-8, and would later take three straight points to get within 13-12. UCA kept pace with the Lions for a good bit, answering the Lions' 3-0 run with one of its own, but the Lions would eventually strike with a 4-0 run to put UCA in a 23-18 hole. The Sugar Bear comeback bid fell short, as the Lions took the fourth set at 25-20.
Laci Bohannan continued her solid campaign, tallying 16 kills, four digs, and four total blocks. April Conant had a stellar night, putting up a career-high 15 kills and six total blocks. Koons finished with 37 assists, 11 digs, and six kills. Alexis McDaniel had one of her best matches on the season, totaling 26 digs, a season high.
UCA is back at the Prince Center on Sunday, October 29th at 12:00 p.m. against the Stetson Hatters. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ and fans can follow along on Twitter/X at @UCAVball.
