Box Score JONESBORO, Ark.— The UALR volleyball team won its 21st consecutive match and came away with the best conference record in Sun Belt history at 20-0 as the Trojans swept Arkansas State (25-20, 25-22, 25-23) on Saturday night.
Head coach Van Compton earned her 216th conference win, the most in Sun Belt history.
Senior Edina Begic ended the night with 21 kills, her highest in a three-set match this season. Begic's 21 kills brings her career total to 2,096, the fourth-most in Sun Belt history and second-most in the rally- scoring era.
After getting off to a slow start by trailing 2-7, UALR found its rhythm and tied the set at 9-9. The Trojans never trailed afterward and eventually took a six point lead at 23-17. UALR took the first set by five points as Begic ended the first set with seven kills, while junior Sonja Milanovic contributed six of her own.
UALR once again got off to a slow start in the second set, trailing by seven at 4-11. The Trojans then tied the set up at 12 thanks to an 8-1 run. Arkansas State took another short lead at 17-14 before UALR came back to tie the set at 17. The Trojans then got their first lead of the set at 18-17, forcing a Red Wolves timeout. After battling with Arkansas State for the rest of the set, UALR ended the set with a service ace. Begic ended the second set with 14 total kills. UALR was able to win the set despite hitting .250 to Arkansas State's .370.
UALR started the set with a 4-0 lead before Arkansas State went on a 5-1 run to tie things up at 5. After two more Arkansas State points, UALR took its first timeout of the set. The Trojans came out of the timeout with five straight points to lead 10-7. The Red Wolves would battle back to tie and eventually take a 17-13 lead. UALR then went on a 6-2 run to tie the match again at 20. The final points of the set became a real battle as both teams kept the frame tied. Tied at 23, UALR sealed the match with a kill by senior Adisa Hodzic and an Arkansas State attack error.
Sophomore Megan Mathis came up with 36 assists, her second-most in a three-set match this season.
Senior Capri Rino scooped her most digs in a three-set match this season with 20.
Junior Sonja Milanovic recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 11 kills and 12 digs.
Hodzic and sophomore Edina Selimovic ended the contest with five kills each while Selimovic had a team-high .273 attack percentage.
As a team, UALR had its most attempts and digs in a three-set match this season with 129 and 58, respectively.
UALR will now travel as the number one seed to San Marcos, Texas for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and take on the eighth place South Alabama Jaguars in the first round match on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27).
