411 on USD

Offense

They have a featured back, Stefan Logan, that ranks 10th in yards per game (150). Doesn’t look like they run many screens to the RB because he only has one catch on the season. Logan is also their punt returner and kick returner. He’s returned one of each of those for touchdowns. What’s somewhat weird is that the team has only returned 7 of 25 punts and 5 of 30 kickoffs.

St. Cloud held the Coyotes to just 331 yards of offense, considerably less than the 574 and 531 of the first two games which padded their stats. In their first conference game – against Minnesota Duluth – 378 yards of offense. St. Cloud kept the Coyote running game out of the end zone, but they scored three times through the air.

The passing game isn’t used often, but their 41 completions have gone for 681 yards and 7 of those for touchdowns. USD has just two receivers with more than 5 catches. Desmond Allison (6-5, 244) is their main threat with four touchdown receptions.

Defense

Has 14 sacks in 4 games, 5 against St. Cloud (when you would think their starters played the entire game for possibly the first time)

Great crowd, great win, great night

Go watch UCA volleyball. Just do… Nevermind. I don’t want to get in trouble with Nike, but you get it.

If you’ve never been, you’ll enjoy it. If you’ve been last year or last night, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Most have been inside the tiny Prince Center Gym. Now imagine it full of screaming volleyball players and 400 cheering fans. It really is electric. Different from just about anything I’ve ever been to.

Add all of those things with the fact that the team is two games over .500 heading into conference play, and you’ve got one heck of a deal. Did I mention it’s free?

Not only do you get some great entertainment, but it’s really a gym full of celebrities.

Member of the men’s and women’s basketball teams were in attendance. The baseball team, football, soccer, fraternities, sororities, and athletic department staff – including head coaches from football and softball that I remember seeing – all came out to cheer for the Sugar Bears in their first home game (at night) this season.

And the team didn’t disappoint.

They swept Mississippi Valley State and then played a heart-stopper with Arkansas State.

With the match tied at two games a piece, the Sugar Bears jumped out to a quick lead in the final game, leading by as many as four before ASU made their comeback run to turn a 10-6 UCA lead into a 11-10 game. ASU would even take a 14-13 lead later in the game.

Now hold on. For those of you who’ve never been let’s do some learnin’ – this assuming that I understand the rules at least a little. We’ll see.

Women’s college volleyball is a little different than that game you play in the backyard. The winner is the first to three games. Games are played to 30 points, and you score regardless of whether or not it was your serve. In every game, you must win by two. But wait, there’s a catch in the end. If the game is tied at 2-2, the fifth and final game is played to just 15. Back to the game.

So, the Lady Indians are one point away from leaving Conway with a win. But the Sugar Bears took the next three points, making the bus ride back to Jonesboro a long one.

The crowd, as it had been the entire game, went bananas.

“We expected a great crowd tonight and got it,” head coach Steven McRoberts said. “I told the girls before the game to ‘give them a reason to come back’. We needed every bit of that crowd to pull out the match.

“Hopefully we can go undefeated at home.”

If the crowd continues to take advantage of the atmosphere, it will be that much easier for the team. By watching, you’d have to say that several of ASU’s 14 service errors were due to the wild fans standing just inches away stomping their feet, chanting, yelling, and jumping up and down.

It was a great homecoming for the Sugar Bears, but tomorrow they will load back on a bus and ride about eight hours Beaumont, Texas to start Southland Conference play.

After playing 14 road games to start the season, Coach McRoberts is pleased with the results.

“If somebody would have said going into conference play that we’d be 9-7, I’d have taken it.”

After two more road games, UCA returns home the end of September for Parents Weekend and two games. There are 11 more that you have the opportunity to attend. Don’t miss out!