Box Score
CONWAY, Ark. – Emilee Hill, who entered the match leading the nation in triple-doubles, recorded her fifth of the season to lead Eastern Kentucky to a 3-1 victory at Central Arkansas in both teams United Athletic Conference opener on Thursday.
Eastern (11-2, 1-0 UAC) won by scores of 25-20, 22-25, 26-24 and 25-21.
Hill finished the first conference match of the season with 17 kills, 26 assists, 12 digs and four blocks. She made only two errors in 28 attempts for a .536 attack percentage.
The Sugar Bears jumped out to a quick start in the first set, scoring five of the first six points. However, EKU came roaring back. The Colonels went on a 9-1 run to take the lead. A block from Hill and
Caitlyn Flees tied it at 6-6.
Cooper Abney's second ace in the first 10 points capped the run and had her squad ahead 10-6. After a kill from Karlyn Frazier got UCA within three, 13-10, Eastern Kentucky rolled off four unanswered to essentially put the set away.
Audrey Hudson's kill put the visitors up 17-10. Back-to-back attack errors from UCA ended the opener 25-20.
Central Arkansas built an 18-9 lead in the second set before EKU used a 12-4 run to come all the way back to get within one, 22-21. The Sugar Bears scored three of the final four to take the second 25-22 and tie the match.
An attack error allowed UCA to take an 11-8 lead in the third set. This time Eastern Kentucky turned it around with an 8-2 run.
Becca Rogers tied it, 11-11, with a kill. A kill from Flees finished off the spurt and made it 16-14. Central Arkansas battled back and tied the score five times before finally taking a 22-21 lead on a kill from Ella Chaney. The home team reached set-point, 24-22, on another kill from Chaney. The Colonels scored three straight to reach set-point themselves, 25-24, on a block by Hudson and
Alexis Bull. An attack error ended the set 26-24.
The Sugar Bears started strong in the fourth set as well, rolling off the first four points. Eastern then responded with an 11-3 run and never trailed again. Hill tied it at 7-7 with a kill. Two more kills from Hill polished off the run and put her team up 11-7. Hill made it a 5-point margin, 18-13, with a kill. Leading by three, 18-15, the Colonels scored five of the next six to put it away. Another kill from Hill made it 23-16. Eastern took the set, 25-21, and the match on a service error.
Burke had 14 kills and 11 digs. Flees and Bull had six blocks each.
Chaney had a match-best 19 kills for Central Arkansas (0-11, 0-1 UAC).
The Colonels hit .276 and had a 12-10 edge in blocks, but were slowed by 10 service errors. The Sugar Bears hit .214 and made six service errors.
EKU will wrap up the road trip at Little Rock on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET. The match will air live on ESPN+.
