by Mark Rico
Sports Editor
Conway – After postponing the last seven games due to health issues, UCA is ready to resume their season after dropping two highly competitive matches in Nacogdoches to start the season back in early September.
UCA’s season was halted back on Sept. 10 after 12 volleyball players and a few staff members of their staff tested positive for COVID-19.
The Sugar Bears will travel to Springfield to take on Missouri State (1-0) at 3 p.m. Saturday with an opportunity to get back in the zone as they face a relatively new opponent in Missouri State.
The two teams met only once in 2012 with Missouri State securing a thrilling five set win.
In their last outing against Texas State – the two-time defending Sun Belt champion – redshirt senior Amanda Beaton set a career-high with 24 kills while fellow senior Bailey Waddington tied her career-high with 51 assists.
Senior Emily Doss is a key defensive specialist for this squad as she leads the team with 3.22 digs per set.
The front line duo of junior Ravin Rhodes and senior Amari Mitchell has been spectacular in the early going for UCA.
Rhodes currently sits at five blocks on the season, while Mitchell has contributed three.
Missouri State – coached by former UCA head coach Steven McRoberts – are led by sophomores Brooklyn Chink and Kennedee Anderson along with freshman Caly Otec.
In the Bears’ lone game on the season against Little Rock on Sept. 19, Chink pounded 20 kills with Anderson compiling 37 assists and Otec contributing 14 digs.
“We are very excited to finally get back to competition after being away because of COVID protocols,” UCA head coach John Newberry said. “We will be traveling a smaller crew for this game and will look completely different. It will be a whole new team dynamic on the road that we will have to adjust to quickly.”
UCA is scheduled to return home on Friday, Oct. 9 at 4pm against Stephen F. Austin in their first action in Conway of the 2020 season.
Faulkner County Focus Sports 