Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University volleyball defeated
Jacksonville State in straight sets, 25-23, 25-10, 25-20, Friday
night.
Despite a boisterous student crowd of over 500 on hand, Belmont
couldn't find its rhythm early in set one. The visiting Gamecocks
scored four of the first five points and maintained control much of
the early going. A kill from Lauren Busing gave JSU a 16-11 lead
before a timeout from head coach Deane Webb.
The Gamecocks extended to a six point lead, before the Bruins
orchestrated one of the best single-set comebacks of the year.
Three straight kills from sophomore Scarlet Gable
(Munford, Tenn.) got Belmont with 18-17. A kill from junior Hannah
Miranda (Covington, La.) tied the score at 23. The monumental
comeback was complete after a kill from sophomore Alex Martin
(Ooltewah, Tenn.) and a JSU attack error.
Belmont may have only hit a pedestrian .182 in the opening set,
but the stirring comeback pumped the Bruins up for a fine showing
in set two.
A kill from junior Jen Myer (New
Braunfels, Texas) capped a 4-0 Belmont run to open scoring, and
things were just beginning. The Bruins scored five straight points
on Miranda's serve midway through the set, as a 10-2 run pushed the
margin to 20-7. Another Gable putaway allowed the Bruins to close
set two, 25-10.
Belmont tallied a remarkable 21 kills on 40 attacks in set two,
committing only one attack error for a sparkling .500 hitting
percentage. The Bruins also held JSU to .054 in set two.
More solid play from Miranda and Myer enabled Belmont to seize a
10-5 lead in set three. Martin chimed in for two more putaways,
before amazingly Myer recorded four straight kills to give the
Bruins a 19-10 advantage.
JSU closed to 24-20, before a service error ended the match.
Things were a bit amusing for the game statisticians, as each
team boasted an outside hitter named Jen Myer - JSU's version
spelling her last name Meyer.
The Bruins continued to build off of last weekend's victory over
SIU Edwardsville, getting balanced production. Six Belmont players
hit over .250 for the match.
Myer led Belmont with a double-double of 11 kills and 11 digs,
while Miranda tallied 39 assists, 13 digs, five kills and four
aces. Junior Jamie
Lundstrom (La Grange, Ill.) continued her fine defensive play
with a match-high 23 digs for three sets. In fact, four Bruins had
double figure digs.
"A good win tonight against a good team," Webb said. "You have
to give Hannah a great deal of credit for getting hitters in
advantageous places. Jamie was very good defensively as well. We
know we will need to play well tomorrow against Tennessee Tech to
earn another important OVC win."
Hivya Leite led Jacksonville State (9-10, 3-2 OVC) with 10
kills.
Belmont (7-12, 3-2 OVC) returns to action Saturday afternoon
against Tennessee Tech. First serve is set for 2 p.m. CT with
coverage on OVC Digital Network. Live stats will also be
provided.
