University of Central Arkansas Volleyball Team Sweeps UTA, Moves On To Tournament Finals
HUNTSVILLE,Texas – The University of Central Arkansas volleyball team
will play in theirfirst ever Southland Conference Tournament Finals on
Sunday at 3 p.m. after sweepingUT Arlington in the semifinals on
Saturday night. The Sugar Bears will faceUTSA on Conway Corporation
Channel 98. The winner will receive the league’sautomatic qualifying bid
for the NCAA Tournament, beginning on Dec. 2.
The top-seededSugar Bears (28-7) downed the fourth-seeded Mavericks
(17-15) 25-19, 25-18,25-18 at Johnson Coliseum, having little trouble in
the win.
“I’m proudof the team and the fact that it’s our first postseason
tournament and we getto play for the championship tomorrow,” said UCA
head coach and SLC Coach ofthe Year Steven McRoberts. “ It’s exciting to
play on TV for the first time inprogram history. I hope our level of
play can continue from tonight. We had agreat effort tonight and made
three tremendous plays in the first game thatturned the momentum to our
side.”
A TaylorHammonds kill gave the Sugar Bears a 19-13 lead in set one. The
Mavericksresponded with a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 19-18. UCA went
on to score sixof the next seven points, including three consecutive
kills from senior right sideChloe Smith, to claim the game.
UCA hit .314with 15 kills in the first set, while UTA managed 11 kills
and hit .118. Smithled the Sugar Bears with six kills.
In thesecond frame, the Mavericks hit -.091 with six kills and nine
errors. UCA had14 kills and hit .206 on their way to a 25-18 win.
The thirdset was tied six times and saw three lead changes. With the
Sugar Bears leading19-18, UCA ended the match with a 6-0 run to win
25-18.
UCA hit ascorching .438 with 15 kills, while UTA connected on 16 kills
but hit .231. TheSugar Bears made just one attack error in the final
frame.
For thematch, the Sugar Bears outhit the Mavericks .317 to .094 and had
a 44-33 killsadvantage. UCA also held the edge in blocks 8-5.
Smith, thethree-time Southland Conference Player of the Year, hit .417
and had 17 killsand 10 digs for her fourth double-double of the season.
She also had fourblocks. Junior Jessica Hays had 14 kills and freshman
middle blocker JessicaNagy added eight kills and hit a team-high .467
and knocked down four blocks.Junior Cristin Curl led all players with 17
digs and SLC Freshman and Setter ofthe Year Marissa Collins assisted 38
points.
UTA was ledby Bianca Sauls, Tara Frantz and Emily Shearin with eight
kills each. AliciaShaffer recorded 15 digs and Raegan Daniel had 27
assists.
UCA’s 28 winsis the most for the program since moving up to Division I
and the third mostwins in school history.
Central Arkansas def. UT Arlington 25-19,25-18,25-18
UT Arlington (17-15) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Frantz, Tara 8-0-3;
Shearin, Emily 8-0-3; Sauls, Bianca 8-0-1; Aguilera, Amanda 6-0-0;
Daniel, Raegan 2-0-2; Whitson, Kendall 1-0-0; Shaffer, Alicia 0-1-0;
Totals 33-1-5.0. (Assists) - Daniel, Raegan 27. (Dig leaders) -
Shaffer, Alicia 15; Daniel, Raegan 7
Central Arkansas (28-7) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Smith, Chloe 17-1-4;
Hays, Jessica 14-1-2; Nagy, Jessica 8-0-4; Hammonds, Taylor 3-0-2;
Giesler, Karlie 2-0-1; Collins, Marissa 0-0-2; Totals 44-2-8.0.
(Assists) - Collins, Marissa 38. (Dig leaders) - Curl, Cristin 17;
Smith, Chloe 10
Site: Huntsville, Tex. (Johnson Coliseum)
Date: Nov 20, 2010 Attend: 520 Time: 1:17
