VolleyBears handle #8 Abilene Christian today by 3-0 to win Southland Tourney........25-22/25-17/25-22 ................now 27-4....
Outhit Cats 33 to 229.........Tippett hit 423 with 14 kills and 18 digs......pretty good day.......Armstrong hit 444 with 22 assists....
Allen, Harry and Armstrong make all -tourney team and Armstrong is MVP.......
Another great year for UCA Volleyball.............they represent UCA superbly.....congrats and good luck in the big dance.........
http://www.ucasports.com/news/2017/11/19/VB_111917.aspx?path=wvballhttp://southland.org/documents/2017/11/19/SLC_07.pdfhttp://southland.org/news/2017/11/19/womens-volleyball-uca-sweeps-acu-to-win-2017-southland-volleyball-tournament.aspxUCA Sweeps ACU to Win 2017 Southland Volleyball Tournament
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Central Arkansas claimed its third Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament championship and first since 2013 with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-22) win over Abilene Christian on Sunday in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Junior outside hitter Haley Tippett notched her third double-double of the tournament, and 10th of the season, to help UCA book its automatic qualification to the NCAA Tournament. Tippett led the Sugar Bears in kills and digs with 14 and 18, respectively. UCA posted a .330 hitting percentage, ending the match with 47 kills as Tournament MVP Elizabeth Armstrong dished out 22 assists.
Abilene Christian’s all-tournament selection junior outside hitter Jacey Smith led all players with 18 kills as her setter, all-tournament pick Kendall Bosse, tallied 32 assists for the day. Smith also recorded a double-double with 10 digs.
The Sugar Bears became the first No. 2 seeded team to win the tournament since 2010 when UTSA did so. They will await their fate in the NCAA Tournament when the selection committee announces the first-round matchups on Nov. 26 on ESPNU.
Set One
Down 21-17, UCA rallied seven consecutive points to reach set point and eventually take it 25-22 with a Megan Nash roll. The Sugar Bears fired a .194 clip with Nash and Haley Tippett each putting down three kills. Tippett also led the team in digs with five alongside Amanda Dimon. ACU’s Corinne Grandcolas and Jacey Smith both put up five kills with Grandcolas receiving the Wildcats’ first two points.
Set Two
Eight was the magic number for Tippett in the second set as she led the team in digs and kills with eight in each category for a 25-17 set win. Tippet .727 for a UCA offense that hit a tournament-best .562 for the set. Abbie Harry provided three kills while Savanah Allen, Elizabeth Armstrong and Samantha Anderson each put up a pair. Smith earned seven of ACU’s 12 kills to lead a Wildcat attack that hit .222 for the set.
Set Three
ACU fought back after being behind all set to tie it at 21-21, but UCA followed its timeout with a 4-1 stretch to end the match with a 25-22 set win. Abbie Harry put up six kills on 14 attacks as the Sugar Bears posted a .268 attacking percentage. Emily Doss tallied six digs with Tippett right behind at five. The Wildcats hit a match-best .270 clip with Smith recording six on 18 attacks. Lauren Walker downed all three of her attacks.
All-Tournament Team
Blair Gillard, Houston Baptist
Chloe Simon, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jacey Smith, Abilene Christian
Kendall Bosse, Abilene Christian
Savanah Allen, Central Arkansas
Abbie Harry, Central Arkansas
Elizabeth Armstrong, Central Arkansas (Tournament MVP)