Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont (12-6, 3-0) started out fast against ETSU (7-9, 1-1), winning the first set 25-15, and then kept the pressure on the Buccaneers, winning 3-1 to stay undefeated in conference play.
"Tonight was an interesting match," Head Coach Deane Webb said. "With the exception of game one, we struggled to score offensively. I give a great deal of credit to ETSU for making it tough on our attackers. Their effort and intensity throughout the match was outstanding."
The Bruins have now won six straight matches and 10 of their last 11 matches, including two big conference tests at Kennesaw State and against ETSU tonight. Belmont was paced by reigning Conference Player of the Week Maggie Johnson (Naperville, Ill.) who finished with 15 kills and led a host of Bruins with five or more kills. Belmont also got eight kills from junior transfer Amy Van Buren (Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif.), who finished the night with eight kills, providing most of Belmont's offense in the second set.
"Our team played very well tonight defensively, out-blocking the best blocking team in the conference while continuing our high level of play in the back row," Webb said.
Libero Jamie Lundstrom (La Grange, Ill.) led Belmont defensively, finishing with 21 digs. Johnson also added 20 digs of her own, while sophomore Jen Myer (New Braunfels, Texas) and freshman Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) each had 15. In addition to the usually strong defensive effort from the Bruins' back row, Belmont turned in nine team blocks, two more than ETSU, the conference's top blocking team. Sophomore Allison McCoy (Huntington Beach, Calif.) paced Belmont with five block assists while Myer added four. Five of Belmont's six starters registered at least one block assist on the night and Johnson recorded a team best three solo blocks.
"Maggie (Johnson) again had a well rounded match, and was particularly good defensively," Webb said. "Three blocks and twenty digs is impressive. Allison played hard tonight, and I'm very proud of the effort she put into the match."
The Bruins were once again dominant from the service line, turning in five aces to only two from ETSU. Myer, the nation's top server, recorded two aces to lead Belmont. Three other Bruins: Gable, sophomore Hannah Miranda (Covington, La.), and Lundstrom, each turned in an ace.
Belmont will host USC Upstate tomorrow to wrap up the conference weekend. The Bruins will pay a return visit to ETSU to close out the conference season in November. As for tomorrow's match, Webb doesn't want his team taking anything for granted.
"ETSU is a very athletic team that plays hard," Webb said. I'm not looking forward to seeing them at their place. Tomorrow's match is just as important as the match tonight versus ETSU. Every conference match is important, and I hope we look at tomorrow as not just an opportunity to win, but also a chance to improve as a team."
The Bruins and Spartans are set to start at 2 p.m. as Belmont hosts their annual Dig for a Cure event in partnership with Susan G. Komen of Greater Nashville. Fans are encouraged to wear pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. Admission is free to the match.
