STEPHENVILLE, Texas — The Central Arkansas volleyball team (3-12, 3-2) defeated Tarleton State (6-12, 2-3) 3-2 (12-25, 18-25, 25-15, 25-15, 15-10) on Thursday evening. After dropping the first two sets, the Sugar Bears out-hit the Texans .487 to .229 in the final three sets, completing the comeback.
Central Arkansas responded to an early 5-0 deficit in the first set, using a
Nicole Sargent kill, two
Kennady Martindale-
Greyson Button blocks and a Martindale kill to pull within one at 6-5. Tarleton State halted that push and separated behind service pressure, tallying seven first set aces, while Central Arkansas added kills from
Ella Chaney, Sargent and Button but could not sustain the comeback. Tarleton State took the set 25-12.
Central Arkansas mounted its main push after the Texans moved ahead 18-7, winning seven of the next eight rallies behind an
Annie Hopkins kill, a
Trinity Hamilton ace and two Button kills to close the gap to 19-14. Tarleton State kept Central Arkansas from closing further and finished the set 25-18.
The Sugar Bears answered an early 2-1 deficit by moving in front 7-3, with kills from Chaney and Button followed by a Hamilton service ace. The visitors kept control from there, getting two service aces from
Tatelyn Brandsma and finishing the set on back-to-back Hopkins kills. Central Arkansas took the third set 25-15.
Central Arkansas opened the fourth set with six straight points on Brandsma's serve, including two more aces and two
Sarah Carnathan kills. Tarleton State cut the score to 21-15, but the Sugar Bears answered with four straight kills from Hopkins, Brandsma, Chaney and Button to win the set 25-15.
The Sugar Bears closed the comeback in fifth set with four straight points after Tarleton State moved within one at 11-10. Hopkins answered with a kill, then Button and Chaney added kills of their own before Hopkins and Button combined on the block for the final point. Earlier,
Trinity Hamilton served Central Arkansas through a four-point run that pushed the lead to 7-2, and Central Arkansas finished the set 15-10.
Tatelyn Brandsma
- Career high 44 assists
- Career high 5 service aces
- Career high 11 digs
- 4 kills on .800 hitting
Greyson Button
- Tied career high 12 kills with no errors on 20 attempts
- .600 hitting percentage
- 6 total blocks
- team-high 15 points
Ella Chaney
- Team-high 13 kills
- 7 digs
- 1 block
- 13.5 points
Sarah Carnathan
- 12 kills
- .348 hitting percentage
- 8 digs
- 13.5 points
Annie Hopkins
- Career high 9 kills with 1 error on 15 attempts
- .533 hitting percentage
- 9.5 points
The Sugar Bears return home to the Prince Center on Saturday for a matchup with West Georgia. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
