CONWAY, AR – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears (3-8, 1-0 ASUN) kicked off their conference play in style with a dominant 3-0 sweep over the North Alabama Lions (4-8, 0-1 ASUN) at the Prince Center on Friday evening. In front of a home crowd of 345, the Sugar Bears displayed resilience and skill, winning in straight sets: 25-14, 25-23, and 26-24. 

First Set: Dominant Start 
The Sugar Bears set the tone early, hitting an impressive .441 in the opening set. Central Arkansas capitalized on a balanced attack with outside hitters Laci Bohannan and Mackenzie Vernon leading the way. The team cruised to a 25-14 victory, holding North Alabama to a .086 hitting percentage. 

Second Set: A Closer Contest 
The second set saw a much more competitive battle. North Alabama made adjustments, but Central Arkansas held their ground. The Lions pushed the set to the wire, but the Sugar Bears stayed composed, claiming a 25-23 win with key plays from Vernon, who recorded 14 kills on the night. 

  
Third Set: Nail-Biting Finish 
North Alabama came out fighting in the third set, seeking to extend the match. The Lions held a slight lead late in the set, but Central Arkansas managed to edge out a 26-24 win, sealing the match. Bohannan's consistency (14 kills, .333 hitting) and Caylan Koons' 32 assists were instrumental in securing the sweep. 

Stat Leaders 

- Mackenzie Vernon led all players with 14 kills, hitting at an efficient .407 clip. 

- Laci Bohannan also contributed 14 kills with a .333 hitting percentage. 

- Caylan Koons directed the offense with 32 assists and added 10 digs. 

- Greyson Button was strong at the net, contributing 7 points, including 5 kills and 2 block assists. 

The Sugar Bears out-hit the Lions .263 to .172 and recorded 10 blocks compared to North Alabama's 6, demonstrating a solid defensive effort throughout the match. 

Up Next 

Central Arkansas will look to build on this momentum as they continue in the Central Arkansas Invitational September 21st at 3PM in Conway, Arkansas.