CONWAY, Ark. - The University of Central Arkansas volleyball team fell to the Lipscomb Bisons in five sets in the ASUN home opener Friday night. The loss drops UCA to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in the ASUN. 

The two teams started off neck-and-neck, with neither team able to get any separation in the early going. The Bisons started to get ahead with a 5-1 run to make it 15-11, and a 4-0 run later to make it 19-13. UCA later went on a 6-1 run book ended by Lilly Taylor kills to tie things at 22 all. The Bisons then ripped three straight points to take the first set, 25-22

Lipscomb rode the momentum from the opening frame to an 8-2 early lead. Needing a big momentum shift to avoid a huge deficit, the Sugar Bears ripped off seven straight to take an 11-10 lead. A later run of five in a row gave UCA an extended lead of 18-14. The Bisons were not done yet, as they would take a 20-19 lead thanks to a run of five straight. In a game of runs, sometimes it's most important to have the last one, and UCA did just that, ripping off five out of the last six kills, including two kills from Laci Bohannan, to take the second set, 25-23. 

Lipscomb once again started fast, and this time, UCA wasn't ready with a timely answer. The Bisons got out to a 14-6 lead, and then extended it to an 18-7 lead before the Sugar Bears could answer. UCA did get within 22-16 towards the end, but the Bisons closed things out to take a 2-1 set lead with a 25-18 win.

In the fourth set, with their backs against the walls, this time it was the Sugar Bears that got off to a hot start. UCA opened up a 10-5 lead, then extended the lead to 13-7. The Bisons did a good job of breaking up any further UCA run, but the Sugar Bears were able to keep pace and use a 4-1 run capped by a kill by Allison Holloway to take the fourth set, 25-21.

UCA did a good job early in the fifth set to answer any run by Lipscomb, and trailed 8-6 at the media time out. The Bisons had all the juice out of the time out, scoring seven of the last eight points of the set to take the match, 15-7.

Caylan Koons had another great performance, tallying 48 assists, her eighth match with 40+ assists on the season. Taylor led the Sugar Bears with 16 kills, one shy of her career high. Bohannan put up 13 kills, and Holloway tallied 10 kills and they both had two service aces. Lexie Gregory led the way defensively for the Sugar Bears with 21 digs and three service aces. 

UCA will be back in action on Sunday, September 24th at 2:00 p.m. against Austin Peay. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ and as always, fans can keep up with all the action on Twitter/X at @UCAVball