FLORENCE, Ala. - Missouri State beach volleyball closed out the regular season this weekend at the North Alabama Beach Ball, rebounding from an opening loss to host North Alabama with wins over Southeastern Louisiana and Central Arkansas. The Bears enter the Conference USA Championship with a 23-4 overall record.

"After a slow start against UNA, it was great to see us get back to playing our style," said head coach Ashley Emery. "Heading home with a couple of solid wins has us energized and ready for conference play next weekend."

North Alabama 4, Missouri State 1
Missouri State opened the weekend against host North Alabama, with MacKenzie Steele and Amanda Cleary picking up the Bears' lone point at Flight 2. North Alabama claimed the remaining counting flights, while the Lions also took the exhibition match.

Missouri State 4, Southeastern Louisiana 1
The Bears responded with a 4-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. Missouri State earned points at Flights 1 through 4, as Rylie Cepicky and Allyson Larkin, Steele and Cleary, Maddie Schrandt and Manuela Niemeyer, and Raylee Stenzel and Taylor Germann each recorded wins. Southeastern Louisiana collected its lone point at Flight 5.

Missouri State 5, Central Arkansas 0
Missouri State closed the regular season in dominant fashion Friday, sweeping Central Arkansas 5-0. The Bears won all five counting flights, highlighted by a three-set comeback at Flight 1 from Cepicky and Allyson Larkin. Steele and Cleary added a straight-set win at Flight 2, Schrandt and Niemeyer secured the point at Flight 3, Raylee Stenzel and Taylor Germann won at Flight 4, and Logan Kaneshiro and Jaycee Fixsen completed the sweep at Flight 5.

Against Central Arkansas, Steele and Cleary posted a 21-15, 21-17 win at Flight 2, while Stenzel and Germann followed with a 21-15, 22-20 decision at Flight 4. Kaneshiro and Fixsen added a 21-12, 22-20 victory at Flight 5, and Schrandt and Niemeyer earned a 21-16, 21-19 win at Flight 3 before Cepicky and Larkin rallied for a 20-22, 21-13, 15-12 win at the top spot to finish off the dual.

Up Next
Missouri State heads to Youngsville, La., for the Conference USA Championship on April 23-25.