HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The University of Central Arkansas beach volleyball team splits a pair of matches on Saturday morning, opening with a win over New Orleans and closing with a loss to the host Southern Miss Golden Eagles.
UCA 4 – UNO 1
UCA worked incredibly hard to end its nine-game losing streak to the Privateers on Friday afternoon, and finally did so on Saturday morning. Kayla Cook and Katie Atkinson put UCA on the board first, followed by a narrow two set victory by Payton Sproule and Naya Tan to give the Bears an early 2-0 lead.
Ryenne Gepford and Bria Garmon secured the Bear victory with a dominant 21-10 second set. Julia Oravec and Anna Linskey put the cherry on top of the win for the Bears with a dominant win to close the door on the Privateers and earn the first win versus New Orleans since April 8th of 2018.
UCA 1 – USM 4
The Eagles once again beat the Bears, and coincidentally, it was by the same margin as the day prior. The Bears now fall to 1-4 against USM all time, and have lost four in a row to the Magnolia State foe
Cook and Atkinson were the only ones to get the Bears on the board on Saturday afternoon, as the Bears were overpowered by the Golden Eagles on USM's home court. Anna Collums and Madelyn White took things to a third set, and Evelyn Griffith and Marissa Gilmore made things close with USM's No. 2 squad, but the Golden Eagles overcame the Bears' efforts.
UCA is scheduled to have another shot at USM in the Blazer's Beach Bash in Birmingham later this April, but for now the Bears stand at 0-2 versus the Golden Eagles this year.
UCA will get back in action next Friday, April 7th to take on the likes of Hendrix, Stephen F. Austin, Spring Hill, and Louisiana Monroe in Monroe, Louisiana.
