LAKE CHARLES—After dropping a disappointing five set match on Thursday, McNeese volleyball responded in a huge way Saturday with another five set match (17-25, 25-22, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11), this time coming out on the winning side over a Central Arkansas team that came into the match with only two losses on the year and in second place in the Southland standings.
 
"This was a tremendous response after a really exhausting and disappointing performance on Thursday," said head coach Ashleigh Fitzgerald. "We've been pretty close to pulling one off against a top tier Southland team a couple of times this year, and pulling this one off, especially following Thursday really feels good," Fitzgerald said.
 
The Cowgirls (13-10, 5-4 SLC) got added offense and defense from several different players who don't normally contribute as much as they did in this match and it paid off. Sophomore Katelyn Elliott led the Cowgirls with 13 kills along with Shanna Spree's 12 kills, seven blocks and a .323 hitting percent. Junior Ebony Lewis was solid at the net in critical situations and came away with a season-tying five blocks and nine kills with a .381 hitting percent and freshman Allison Lippert picked up seven kills without a hitting error on 16 attempts for a .438 attack percent. Once again setters Adison Giambrone and Alexandra Aguilera led the offense with 24 assists apiece and the nation's second best digs leader Angela McGownd picked up 18 digs. Keegan Nelms helped McGownd in the back row by picking up 11 digs.
 
UCA (17-3, 6-2 SLC) took a quick 1-0 lead by taking the first set before McNeese evened the match at one all with a second set 25-22 win. The Cowgirls continued its solid play on both sides by picking up a 25-19 third set win to take a 2-1 overall lead. UCA won the fourth set to even the match at two sets apiece, sending the match to a fifth and deciding set for the second straight match for the Cowgirls.
 
In the fifth set, after a 4-4 tie, Spree's service ace and a kill by Elliott gave McNeese a lead they never would give up. Another kill by Elliott put the Cowgirls up 9-6 and two UCA errors extended the Cowgirl lead to 12-9. Two more kills, one by Nelms and another by Elliott put the Cowgirls up 14-11. After a UCA kill, Lewis ended the match on her ninth kill of the day to give McNeese the victory.
 
McNeese will conclude its home stand on Tuesday, Oct. 17 by hosting Prairie View in a non-conference match at 7 p.m.