DeLand, Florida - The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears (10-8, 7-0 ASUN) edged out the Stetson Hatters (3-16, 0-8 ASUN) in a thrilling five-set match on October 18, 2024, at the Edmunds Center in DeLand, FL. The Sugar Bears claimed the victory with set scores of 25-23, 25-18, 21-25, 15-25, and 15-12, extending their unbeaten conference record.

Mackenzie Vernon led the charge for Central Arkansas with 22 kills, hitting at a .283 clip. Laci Bohannan added 17 kills and a team-high 24 digs, while Allison Holloway contributed 11 kills. Caylan Koons was pivotal in the playmaking role, dishing out 60 assists and chipping in 12 digs.

Coach Newberry said "I am really proud of our resilience for our Sugar Bears." 

Despite Stetson's strong efforts in the third and fourth sets, the Sugar Bears found their rhythm in the decisive fifth set, finishing with a .360 hitting percentage. Anabelle Standish and Jenna Simmons powered the Hatters' offense with 18 kills each, while Kayla Balfour posted an impressive .435 hitting percentage.

Central Arkansas maintained composure in the final set, with timely kills and solid defense to close out the match 15-12, keeping their perfect ASUN record intact. The Sugar Bears will look to continue this momentum for their match up against FGCU, Sunday in Fort Myers, Florida at 1PM.