CONWAY, Ark. –Stetson Volleyball fell in five sets to a closely-matched Central Arkansas team, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at the Prince Center.
 
In the first set, it was tightly contested until UCA notched a 9-1 run to go up 16-9; three service aces and eight kills highlighted the run as momentum shifted to the home side. The home side carried the momentum to a 25-19 win in the first frame.
 
The Hatters bounced back in the second. While wresting momentum from the home side, the Hats limited the attacking prowess of the Bears and took control with an 8-2 run early, 12-7 advantage following the momentum swing. After Central Arkansas cut the deficit by three, SU notched a 7-2 run to go up seven, 19-12. The Hatters took the set 25-16. Between defensive acumen and mistakes by UCA, the Bears hit percentage was .049 for the frame.
 
Central Arkansas refocused and earned the third set win. Typical of the first two frames, the Bears benefitted from a five-point swing, going up 15-10 and never looking back. The home side took the set 25-20.
 
The Bears looked to close out the match in the fourth and with a seven-point advantage, 18-11, midway through the round, it looked like it was on the horizon, but Stetson battled back. Chipping away at the lead, SU tied the match at 23 a piece before taking a one-point advantage. The sides battled with the game becoming tied at 24 and 25, until Anabelle Standish notched the 26th point for the Hatters and an attack error following that [27-25] from UCA gave the visiting side new life and a fifth-set opportunity.
 
The comeback in the fourth set may have worn down the Hatters too much, as the home side jumped out to a seven point lead in the shortened fifth set, 11-4. The Hatters cut the advantage, but not by enough as UCA won the pivotal frame, 15-11, and the match as a result, 3-2.
 
Standish notched above 20 kills for the second time in seven days [23 against Lipscomb, Oct 9] with 21 Kills. The junior outside hitter also registered 20 digs. Setter Nyah Molina recorded a season-high 45 assists, and with 10 digs recorded a double-double.
 
Stetson is back in the Edmunds Center for three consecutive matches, starting with the make-up match with Florida Gulf Coast Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.