Box Score COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont volleyball (9-14, 5-4) defeated Tennessee Tech (3-19, -0-9) in five sets Friday night on the road.
"Tonight was an important win for our team," said head coach Deane Webb. "After losing two consectuive matches in five, our team needed to work through a tough match and push through for the win. In both of those matches, we were down by four-points in the fifth before battling back to tie late in the set. We didn't have enough to finish those matches, so tonight it was great to see our team dominate the fifth set."
Tennessee Tech opened the first set by scoring five unanswered points, until junior Allison McCoy (Huntington Beach, Calif.) silenced their run. Both teams exchanged points with the Golden Eagles maintaining their lead.
McCoy sparked a short Belmont run, bringing the Bruins within four points; however, the Golden Eagles continued to extend their lead. Tennessee Tech went on a 4-0 run to close out the set, 25-16.
In the second set, the Golden Eagles got on the board first, before McCoy started a 6-0 run for the Bruins. An attack error by Tennessee Tech sparked another run by Belmont, scoring seven unanswered points and taking a nine point lead, 17-8.
Behind a kill from sophomore Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) Belmont took a 10-point lead over Tennessee Tech. Junior Jen Myer (New Braunfels, Texas) scored the match point before the Golden Eagles went on a 2-0 run. A kill from Gable ended the set, 25-14, tying the match at one set each.
After the break, the Golden Eagles jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Both teams exchanged points, TTU took a 9-6 lead. A bad serve from the Golden Eagles sparked a run for the Bruins and behind two kills from McCoy Belmont tied the set and took a one-point lead, 10-9.
Tennessee Tech responded and went on to score six unanswered points before McCoy silenced their run. The Golden Eagles put together a short run, but a kill from redshirt freshman Madison Croft (Edwardsville, Ill.) ended their run, bringing Belmont within six points. TTU closed the set, 25-18.
Belmont got on the board first in the fourth set, but TTU went on a 3-0 run and took a 6-4 lead, before a kill from junior setter Hannah Miranda (Covington, La.) started a 5-0 run, taking a 9-6 lead over the Golden Eagles.
Both teams put together short runs, with Belmont maintaining their lead. The Bruins put together a short run and a kill from Myer won the set, 25-19, forcing the set into a fifth set.
In the deciding set, Myer sparked a Belmont run that ended with the Bruins scoring seven unanswered points. Three kills from sophomore Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) closed the set, 15-6, giving the Bruins a 3-2 win.
This was the second meeting this season between Belmont and Tennessee Tech with the Bruins winning both matches.
McCoy led the Bruins with 17 kills and Myer added 15. Miranda tallied 46 assists. Myer and Gable each recorded 18 digs, while junior libero Jamie Lundstrom (La Grange, Ill.) added 17 digs and led the team with two aces.
"Allison played well in her first start in almost six weeks. TTU did a great job defending our outsides, but we felt if we passd well we could score in the middle," said Webb. "Maddi hit for a high percentage despite TTU defending the slide well. Alex went in for the final two sets and like Allison, attacked well in the middle. None of thier successes happen without our team passing well."
Belmont will return to the court tomorrow afternoon at Jacksonville State.
"Tomorrow is another important conference match," said Webb. "Particularly because we're tied with Jacksonville State in the conference standings. Jacksonville State didn't play well when they were at our place, but I know they are capable of playing at a high level. If we earn the win tomorrow, it will be because we played very well, not because Jacksonville State played poorly.
Saturday's matchup is schedule for 3 p.m. Live stats will be available.
