Box Score Thus far through the 2025 season, the Bears have played a very strong brand of volleyball but have been unable to get over the hump and claim a match win.
 
That was, until Saturday.
 
The Bears put together a complete team performance and topped a very competitive Beville State Bear team in straight sets winning 29-27, 28-26, 25-19. The contest was part of the Hampton Inn Invitational, hosted by Southwest.
 
"We figured it was going to come eventually and obviously you want it to come soon rather than later," Southwest head coach Chris Laird said. "They are all relieved, we are all relieved and we played better. We lost to them the first time in five and it always feels good to get a win at home and to win in three sets instead of taking it to the limit so they are very happy, we are very happy."
 
Southwest (1-7) came out swinging in the first set, jumping out to a 7-2 advantage thanks to a pair of kills from Reagan Robinson and one from Abby Greenlee.
 
Later in the set, the host Bears led 13-10 but lost focus as the visiting Bears scored five-consecutive points to move ahead.
 
Trailing 22-18, Southwest bounced back. Led by two big plays from AnnaLeigh Robbins, the hosts went on a 6-1 run to grab a 24-23 lead. Robbins, who had a kill and a block during the rally, said after the match that consistency was key for her team in the win.

"I just think that our energy and all of the momentum that we had stayed consistent throughout the game," she said. "And I think that through all of that, we were able to do certain things that we weren't able to do in the past couple of games. We worked really well as a team."  
 
Despite a late rally from Bevill, Southwest closed out the set strong with three kills from Robinson to win the opening frame.
 
Another strong start from the hosts in the second set helped push them out to an 11-8 advantage. Robbins chipped in with another kill and was complemented by a pair each from Haley Eckert, Berta Soules and Greenlee and an ace from Robinson.
 
Bevill kept pace and tied the score on two separate occasions but didn't take the lead until the latter stages of the set. Trailing 24-22 Southwest regained the momentum and tied the match at 25 following an ace from Kelis Parker and a block from Robinson. The host Bears had one final push in them and scored three of the final four points to claim the second set.
 
The beginning stages of the third set was a tug of war between both sides. The host Bears trailed 5-4 but went on a 6-1 run which was kick-started by back-to-back kills from Tierra Martin. When the dust settled, Southwest led 10-6.
 
Afterward though, the host Bears lost momentum as the visiting Bears rallied to take a 13-11 lead.
 
But Southwest stuck with its game plan and it paid off. Robinson helped lead another rally with three kills and was assisted by one each from Greenlee and Eckert as the hosts regained the lead at 18-15.
 
Down the stretch, Southwest scored five of the final seven points of the third to seal the straight-set victory.
 
Southwest will continue its homestand on Monday at 5:00 p.m. hosting Northeast Mississippi in conference play.