WARRENSBURG, Mo.– Hunter Eshnaur turned in a 20-dig, 11-kill double-double, while Amanda Milnick hit .300 with eight kills, 37 assists and 15 digs, but the No. 14 Arkansas Tech Golden Suns volleyball team was unable to complete its furious rally in a 3-1 setback to host and nationally 22^nd-ranked Central Missouri (2-0) in the Golden Suns' season opener at the Peggy Martin Challenge.
 
NEXT UP

• Arkansas Tech plays in a match scheduled for 5 p.m. against Missouri Southern. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Jennies controlled the pace in the opening series of the first set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead. 
• The Golden Suns rallied behind the service of Hunter Eshnaur, pulling to within one (9-8) before UCM reeled off three consecutive points. 
• A UCM attack error knotted the match at 15-15. 
• After a service error gave UCM a 22-21 advantage, three straight Golden Suns points gave Tech a lead for the first time since the 1-0 mark. 
• After UCM took a 26-25 lead, three straight UCM errors gave Tech the 28-26 win in the opening set. 
• UCM controlled the opening series in the second set, running out to a 6-3 advantage. 
• The Jennies held the Golden Suns at arm's length through the set, claiming a commanding 21-14 advantage after a kill by Hannah Buskirk. 
• Arkansas Tech won seven of the next eight points to pull to within one (22-21) after an Allie Anderson kill, but UCM reeled off the next three points to claim the set. 
• UCM opened the third set on a 9-2 run.
• Tech rallied to pull to within one (10-9) after winning three consecutive points. 
• After Tech pulled to within one once more (11-10), UCM won six of seven points to create some breathing room, and the Jennies cruised to the set win to claim a 2-1 advantage in the match. 
• The fourth set was considerably more back-and-forth, with UCM maintaining a slight advantage over Tech until using six consecutive points to jump ahead 19-13. 
• Again, the Golden Suns rallied, and knotted the match at 24-24. 
• A kill by Allie Anderson gave Tech its first lead of the set at 33-32, but again UCM scored the next three points to seal the set and match win. 

NOTABLES

• Tech outhit UCM .188 to .113 in the opening set and .273 to .266 in the final set. 
• Lexie Johnston (12), Allie Anderson (11), and Hunter Eshnaur (11) all turned in double-figure kills.
• Amanda Milnick hit a team-best .300 with eight kills, 37 assists, and 15 digs. 
• Eshnaur led Tech with 20 digs, while Meredith Darnell (17), Milnick, and Madison Grantham (13) also reached double figures. 
• The Golden Suns turned in 12 total blocks in the loss, with Greer Rogers assisting on five.