Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont volleyball (5-12, 1-2) dropped a five-set thriller to Tennessee State, 25-20, 25-15, 19-25, 22-25, 14-16, Tuesday evening at the Curb Event Center.
"We certainly had some bright spots and some low spots," said head coach Deane Webb. "We started off very well and at a high level of intensity and mental discipline. As the match went on, I just thought they were mentally stronger than we were. I give credit to TSU to just be able to change how the match was going and they certainly earned the win tonight."
Behind a 5-0 run Belmont jumped to a 8-3 lead over visiting Tennessee State in the opening set. The Tigers tied the set twice, before the junior Jen Myer (New Braunfels, Texas) sparked a Belmont run, giving the Bruins a four point lead, 18-14.
Behind a kill from freshman Jocelyn Youngdahl (Stillwater, Minn.) the Bruins took the first set, 25-20.
The second set started close, with Tennessee State getting on the board first. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead before junior setter Hannah Miranda (Covington, La.) sparked a Belmont run which led to the Bruins scoring nine unanswered points, taking a 15-4 lead.
Kills from redshirt freshman Madison Croft (Edwardsville, Ill.) and Myer, along with an attack error by the Tigers allowed Belmont to take a 22-11 lead. A kill from sophomore Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) closed out the set, 25-15, and a take a 2-0 lead at the break.
The Bruins held TSU to a .116 hitting percentage in the second set. Myer led the team with five kills, while Gable added four.
After the break, the Tigers took control early, jumping to a 7-3 lead. TSU put together a 5-0 run, before Myer silenced them. Another short run by TSU gave the Tigers a six point lead.
Tennessee State took a 20-12 lead, but Youngdahl sparked a short run allowing the Bruins to come within six points, 22-16. The Bruins came within five, but the Tigers took the third set, 25-19.
In the fourth set, Belmont jumped to an early 3-0 lead, before the Tigers took a 5-3 lead. Belmont and TSU exchanged points. Consecutive TSU attack errors allowed Belmont to take a 8-7 lead before TSU tied the score once more on a service error.
Myer gave the Bruins a 9-8 lead before the Tigers went on a 6-0 run. The Bruins overcame a seven point deficit. A TSU serving error sparked a Belmont run, allowing the Bruins to score three unanswered points, making the score 24-18.
The Tigers took a 24-21 lead, before Croft and a Miranda service ace put the Bruins within two points, 24-22. However it wasn't enough as TSU closed out the fourth set 25-22, forcing the match to a fifth set.
In the deciding set, the Bruins jumped out to a 3-1 lead. A TSU service ace tied the set at five. Myer gave Belmont a one-point lead and TSU tied the set up once again.
Belmont took a three-point lead, 12-9 behind kills from Youngdahl and Myer, but TSU put together a 4-0 run, which put the Tigers ahead by one.
TSU took a 14-13 lead, but a service error tied the set at 14, but TSU scored two back-to-back points, taking the set and the match, 3-2.
Myer led the Bruins with 14 kills, while junior libero Jamie Lundstrom (La Grange, Ill.) recorded a season-high 25 digs. As a team, Belmont recorded 10 blocks.
The Bruins will be back in action at the Curb Event Center on Saturday against SIUE for a 2 p.m. match.
