Springfield, MO. - Central Arkansas Beach Bears opened the 2026 season with a split weekend at the Missouri State Tournament in Springfield, Missouri, finishing 2-2 over two days of competition. The Beach Bears earned wins over McKendree (4-1) and Eastern Illinois (5-0) on Friday before dropping Saturday contests to Lindenwood (4-1) and host Missouri State (5-0).
Feb. 20 | Central Arkansas 4, McKendree 1
After falling at the No. 1 position, the Bears responded with four straight victories to secure the season-opening dual.
Anna Linskey and Anna Jaworski evened the score at No. 2 with a dominant straight-set win (21-9, 21-7). Madelyn White and Allison Heck delivered a momentum-swinging comeback at No. 3, rebounding from an opening-set loss to win 11-21, 21-0, 15-12.
Brooke Sharp and Chandler Lawrence clinched the dual at No. 4 (21-19, 21-13), and Ella Weilert and Reegan Siewert capped the match with a 21-12, 21-11 victory at No. 5.
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Feb. 20 | Central Arkansas 5, Eastern Illinois 0
The Beach Bears closed Friday with a sweep, winning all five courts — three in decisive third sets.
Natalie Blum and Ella Layzell picked up a three-set win at No. 1 (21-10, 21-23, 15-11). Linskey and Jaworski remained unbeaten on the day at No. 2 (21-19, 16-21, 15-10), while White and Heck secured another three-set victory at No. 3 (21-17, 13-21, 15-8).
Sharp and Lawrence earned a straight-set win at No. 4, and Weilert and Siewert sealed the sweep at No. 5.
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Feb. 21 | Lindenwood 4, Central Arkansas 1
The Beach Bears opened Saturday against Lindenwood, with Sharp and Lawrence earning the lone point at No. 4 in straight sets (21-14, 21-18).
Lindenwood claimed the remaining four courts in straight sets to take the dual.
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Feb. 21 | Missouri State 5, Central Arkansas 0
In the weekend finale against host Missouri State Bears, Central Arkansas battled in several tight sets but came up short in a 5-0 decision.
The closest match came at No. 4, where Sharp and Lawrence pushed the contest to three sets before falling 21-16, 16-21, 15-12. Madelyn White and Allison Heck also played a tight first set at No. 3 (22-20) before Missouri State closed in straight sets.
Order of finish: 2, 4, 5, 1, 3
Central Arkansas concludes opening weekend play at 2-2 and will look to build on its early momentum as the season continues as they head back to Missouri to play in the Beach Bear Bash in Ozark.
