Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University roared out to a fast start by winning the opening set by 16, however Central Arkansas righted the ship and won the next two sets before winning the match 3-2 on Friday at the Rick Erdmann Olympic Sports Training Center.
 
UCA won by scores of 9-25, 25-22, 25-23, 17-25 and 15-12.
 
Sarah Mitchell led EKU (19-9, 10-5 ASUN) with a match-best 17 kills.  She made only one error in 47 attempts for a .340 attack percentage.  The senior also had 18 kills, three aces and two blocks.  Carson Ledford added 13 kills with just one error, a .571 attack percentage and four blocks.
 
The Sugar Bears scored the first point of the match, but it was all EKU through the rest of the first set.  The Colonels went up 6-1 on back-to-back aces from Mitchell.  UCA's first two points, and three of its first five, came off service errors.  A kill from Mitchell and an attack error handed the home team a 14-4 lead.  Kills by AG Vandagriff and Mitchell pushed the margin to 14, 20-6.  Vandagriff finished off the set, 25-9, with a kill. 
 
The Colonels made just one error in 36 attempts in the first set, finishing with 19 kills and a .500 attack percentage.  Central Arkansas made four errors and had only five kills for a .033 hitting percentage in the opening set.
 
The second set remained close throughout.  After a timeout, EKU scored four straight to turn a 2-point deficit into a 2-point lead.  An ace from Ledford and a kill from Kambree Lucas made it 21-19.  UCA came right back and scored five straight out of a timeout.  An attack error gave the visitors set-point at 24-21.  Greyson Button finished it, 25-22, with a match-tying kill.
 
The third set was highlighted by a series of runs.  A 6-1 spurt from the Sugar Bears, capped by a kill from Mackenzie Vernon, made it 12-8 in favor of UCA.  The Colonels used a 6-1 run of their own to retake the lead.  A kill from Ledford, followed by consecutive attack errors, finished it off and put EKU ahead 17-16.  The momentum changed on a 7-1 run by the Sugar Bears.  Laci Bohannan put her squad ahead 23-18 with a kill.  The Colonels tied it at 23-23 before Central Arkansas scored the final two points.  Alexis McDaniel ended it with an ace.
 
Holding a 2-point edge in the fourth set, EKU used a 6-2 run to build a cushion.  Mitchell's kill finished it and put her team ahead 18-12.  A UCA attack error made it 20-14.  Lucas gave the Colonels set-point with an ace before Ledford finished it, 25-17, with a kill from the middle.
 
Leading by one in the fifth, the Sugar Bears scored four of the next five to take a 4-point advantage, going up 10-6 on a kill from Bohannan.  A kill from Mitchell and a UCA attack error allowed EKU to get within one, 12-11.  Regan Harp's kill gave Central Arkansas match-point, 14-11.  Vernon ended the set, 15-12, and the match with a kill.
 
Harp and Vernon had 16 kills each for the Sugar Bears (15-11, 12-3 ASUN). 
 
The Colonels hit .278 for the match and out-blocked UCA 16-12.  Central Arkansas hit just .170, but took advantage of 10 service errors by the home squad while committing only two of their own.
 
EKU will conclude the 2024 regular season against North Alabama on Saturday at 4 p.m.  Senior Day ceremonies will be held before the match.