CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas volleyball ended its weekend with a 3-0 loss to Boston College, unable to overcome multiple injuries on the starting lineup.
 
Sophomore Ella Chaney led the Sugar Bears with 10 kills, her first double-digit effort of the season. Caylan Koons and Sophie Skinner combined for 20 assists, and Alexis McDaniel led the team with 14 digs.
 
The Eagles burst out of the gates in the first set, punching Central Arkansas in the mouth with a quick 10-5 burst. Despite a timeout to settle the team, the Sugar Bears never really regained their footing in the first set, giving up a pair of 5-0 runs later in the set to drop the opening stanza.
 
The second set started out like it would be more of the same, as Boston College started with a 10-6 opening. But a 7-1 run, highlighted by stout defense, pulled the Sugar Bears right back into the set, giving the home team a 13-11 lead midway through the set. Both sides scored five of the next ten points, and soon, it was 20-20, then 21-21, 22-22, back and forth the teams went. Brinley Burdette hit an ace to put the Sugar Bears in set point, but Boston College fought out of it, sending the teams on a rollercoaster of 2-0 spurts that landed the teams in five combined set points before the Eagles finally got the last point.
 
Central Arkansas and Boston College continued the back-and-forth play in the third set, trading the lead over and over as the scores climbed. Chaney had four of her kills in the set to keep the Sugar Bears in it, but soon, the Eagles found themselves up 23-18. Chaney spiked one to get service back, Samantha Cousins added three-straight kills, and just like that, the set was tied at 23-23. But unfortunately for the shorthanded Sugar Bears, BC finished the job with back-to-back kills to end the match.
 
The Sugar Bears are back in action next weekend, going to Chicago for a tournament at Chicago State. Central Arkansas plays the Cougars on Friday at 12 p.m.