After a 3-1 loss against Florida Gulf Coast on Oct. 20, the UCA volleyball team was victorious against the Queens University Royals at home on Oct. 25 with a 3-0 sweep.
UCA coach John Newberry said the team being well-rested played a big factor in the win against Queens.
“They got two days off after a long trip to Florida, ” Newberry said. “They were able to catch up on academics and clear their head for this weekend.”
The Sugar Bears’ consistent offense led to the win against Queens, only allowing two leads the entire match.
“Offensively, we did very well,” Newberry said. “We really challenged them to pick up the blocking after the first couple of sets.”
The first set started strong for UCA, picking up the first 3 points on an attack error against Queens, a kill by redshirt sophomore outside-hitter Laci Bohannan, and a service ace by junior setter Caylon Koons.
UCA never trailed in the first set and eventually won it 25-22.
The second set began with two kills by senior middle-blocker Allison Holloway. Queens would finally take its first lead in a set after going on a 3-0 run, making the second set score 8-7. However, the Sugar Bears continued to battle and held on to win the set 25-21 on a kill by senior right-side-hitter Mackenzie Vernon, who totaled 12 kills on the night with most being set up by Koons. Vernon said after the game that Koons “is the glue of our team.”
“She puts everybody in a great scenario and always plays her hardest. So I’m always proud, and I love playing next to her,” Vernon said.
The Royals got off to a hot start in the third and final set of the match, going up 8-6 after receiving multiple kills from redshirt freshman outside hitter Emma Norris and senior setter Kendall Buish.
The Sugar Bears answered back on two attack errors by the Royals, a kill by sophomore middle-blocker Greyson Button and a kill by Bohannan. This put UCA up 10-8.
After Queens notched two points to tie the set at 10, the Sugar Bears went on a 7-0 run to put them up by seven. During the run, Koons picked up three service aces, putting her at a career-high of four service aces in a single game.
The Royals tried to respond by going on a 3-0 run, making it a 17-13 Sugar Bear lead. Immediately after, two kills by Vernon would extend UCA’s lead by six points. Later in the set, Queens shrunk the deficit down to five points on a kill by senior outside-hitter Jordyn Johnson.
UCA responded with kills from Vernon and Button and an attack error on the Royals. The final plays of the match were two kills by Koons and Bohannan, clinching a 3-0 sweep at home against the Queens Royals.
UCA faced off against the West Georgia Wolves on Oct. 27, where they won 3-0, clinching a spot in the Atlantic Sun tournament.
The Sugar Bears will travel to Florence, Alabama, to take on the North Alabama Lions at 6 p.m. Oct. 30.