SMU set a program high and NCAA tournament single-match record with a .618 team hitting percentage in its round one sweep over the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears on Friday, Dec. 5.
The Mustangs entered the matchup as the No. 2 seed in the bottom-left region of the bracket. Central Arkansas went 18-12 prior and won the Atlantic Sun Championship to earn a bid to its fourth NCAA tournament appearance in school history.
Outside hitter Jadyn Livings, who played despite being sick, according to Head Coach Sam Erger, led the team with 15 kills for a personal hitting percentage of .609.
“We’ve got a little bit of a bug working its way through the team, never fun, not great timing, but we have a little slogan,” Erger said. “We say work harder, no one cares…. And so with Jadyn, good job for her, I think she’s feeling like crap, but maybe she needs to feel like crap more often, .600 [hitting percentage] is pretty dang good.”
SMU won all three sets it played, 25-13. Opposite hitter Malaya Jones was just behind Livings with 11 kills, while sophomore middle blocker Favor Anyanwu terrorized the Sugar Bears at the net, contributing five kills and seven blocks.
Set one began evenly, as Livings contributed four early kills and Central Arkansas outside hitter Bohanna and opposite hitter Gabby Tuiaana each made multiple impressive plays. With a 10-8 lead, the Mustangs found their stride, going on an 11-3 run to take a commanding 21-11 lead. During the stretch, senior libero Jordan Schilling contributed many of her team-leading 11 digs.
Freshman Christa Wilburn and senior Averi Carlson each recorded an ace to close out the first set 25-13. Erger said the team has shaped its playstyle around the ability to serve well.
“I thought we served exceptionally well, so that is very exciting,” Erger said. “It’s come to be a little bit of an identity for us as a team, that we serve tough and put some great service pressure on teams.”
Senior Casey Batenhorst kept the trend going, starting the second set with an ace of her own. In total, the team tallied seven aces to Central Arkansas’ two. The Sugar Bears took a 5-4 lead, but surrendered it quickly following two kills by SMU outside hitter Kennedi Rogers.
Similarly to set one, the Mustangs went on an impressive 9-1 run, allowing sophomore libero Mia Silva to end the second set with her second ace of the night.
The Sugar Bears once again provided a fight to start the third set, jumping to a 3-0 lead. Central Arkansas Head Coach John Newberry celebrated his senior leaders for their tenacity both against SMU and through four years with the program.
“They’ve stayed this entire time through the ups and downs, and I wanted all of them to be here,” Newberry said. “They mean so much to me and they’ve helped put this program where it is right now, playing one of the best teams in the nation in SMU. Really proud of these guys, proud of the effort today.”
Anyanwu knocked down three Central Arkansas spike attempts in the third set alone, lifting the Mustangs to a third-straight 25-13 win and a match victory. Erger said her team has played all season with swagger and a killer mentality, which has elevated their play style.
“We’re playing with a little bit of swagger, and we’ve got some killers,” Erger said. “Sometimes people knock on that, and it is crazy to me. Why would you not want killers like Malaya Jones and Favor Anyanwu? If we go into a cage fight, I’m choosing them.”
Batenhorst echoed Erger’s stance, saying that the team is hungry to win playoff games.
“I also think that this team just wants to win, and we’re so excited that I don’t even think it matters where we play,” Laminand said. “We could have played at a rec gym and we still would have the exact same excitement.”
The Mustangs move to round two of the NCAA tournament for a second straight year. They will face the Florida Gators, who swept Rice University in three sets in their first-round matchup. Since the team’s formation in 1996, SMU has yet to advance past the second round of the NCAA tournament. Erger said she has urged her team to focus on the product on the court as opposed to the outcome.
“I’d love to clear that hurdle,” Erger said. “I think you have to say to yourself, ‘Hey, Florida is capable of beating us,’ cause they are. They’re good. And once you come to grips with that… then you can say, ‘This is a game, I’m going to go take my best swings, and regardless of outcome, I’m going to play fierce.’”
For the six SMU seniors, round two will mark their final game at Moody Coliseum. Team captain Jentry Lamirand admitted it would be an emotional game for the seniors, but that they were focused on winning.
“I guess it’s a little sentimental for the seniors,” Lamirand said. “We know that this is the last time we’re going to play on our home court, and so it fires everyone up a little bit more.”
SMU will play Florida at Moody Coliseum on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
