Bears
UCA beach volleyball goes 2-2 in Springfield season opener
Bears started its 2026 beach volleyball season with a 2-2 split at the Missouri State Tournament in Springfield, Missouri.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Central Arkansas opened its 2026 beach volleyball season at the Missouri State Tournament, finishing with a 2-2 record over the weekend.
The Bears secured wins on Friday but saw Saturday results go against them as they split four matches in total.
On the first day of action, UCA faced McKendree in its season opener, falling at the top pairing before rallying. At the No. 2 spot, Anna Linskey and Anna Jaworski took control with a straight-set victory, 21-9 and 21-7, to square the score.
The duo at No. 3, Madelyn White and Allison Heck, responded after dropping the first set, winning 11-21, 21-0, 15-12.
Brooke Sharp and Chandler Lawrence clinched the dual with a 21-19, 21-13 victory at No. 4, and Ella Weilert with Reegan Siewert wrapped up the match at No. 5 by posting a 21-12, 21-11 result, giving the Bears a 4-1 edge.
Later Friday afternoon, the Bears hit the sand against Eastern Illinois. Natalie Blum and Ella Layzell got UCA off to a strong start, winning in three sets at No. 1, 21-10, 21-23, 15-11. Linskey and Jaworski kept their momentum alive with another three-set triumph at No. 2.
At No. 3, White and Heck again found themselves in a third set, closing it out 15-8 after splitting the first two. The pair at No. 4 and the No. 5 tandem of Weilert and Siewert finished in straight sets, completing a 5-0 sweep for UCA on Friday.
After a successful opening day, the Bears returned to competition Saturday against Lindenwood. Sharp and Lawrence provided the lone point for UCA with a straight-set win at No. 4, 21-14 and 21-18, but Lindenwood took the rest of the courts in straight sets, resulting in a 4-1 loss.
Saturday brings tough matches
The weekend finale saw UCA take on host Missouri State. The Bears battled in several close sets but couldn’t secure a victory.
Sharp and Lawrence pushed their match to a deciding third set at No. 4 before falling 21-16, 16-21, 15-12.
Madelyn White and Allison Heck battled in a tight opening set at No. 3, finishing 22-20 before Missouri State closed it out in straight sets on their side.
Despite competitive play, the Bears ended the dual with a 5-0 loss.
UCA concluded its weekend with a 2-2 overall record.
The team will return to Missouri later in the season for the Beach Bear Bash in Ozark as it looks to build on early competition results.
