NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont volleyball (8-11, 1-2) dropped a five-set match to cross-town rival Tennessee State Tuesday night.
Tennessee State took a 2-0 advantage at the intermission, but after the break the Bruins fought back to force five sets.
In the third set, a run sparked by senior Jen Myer (New Braunfels, Tex.) put Belmont on the board, 3-1. The Tigers responded by taking a 7-5 lead. Both teams exchanged points until the match was tied at 20-20 until another run behind a kill from Myer closed the set with the Bruins winning, 25-20.
TSU opened the fourth set with a 6-1 lead, until junior Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) silenced their run. The set remained close as both teams put together short runs. A TSU attack error, followed by back-to-back kills from senior Allison McCoy (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and an ace from junior Alex Martin (Ooletwah, Tenn.) put the Bruins ahead by three, 16-13.
Belmont continued to extend its lead, but TSU tied the set twice before a 3-1 run ended the set, 25-22, forcing a deciding set.
The Tigers struck first in the fifth set, but Belmont scored four unanswered points taking a 5-2 lead. TSU responded by tying it at 5-5. Behind a kill from freshman Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.), Belmont took a 12-8 lead, but TSU scored four straight points to win the set, 15-13, and take the match.
Myer led Belmont hitting .500 while recording a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs. Gable registered a team-high 14 kills. Senior Jamie Lundstrom (La Grange, Ill.) recorded 22 digs, while senior Hannah Miranda (Covington, La.) dished out 52 assists.
The Bruins return to action on Saturday, October 5 at SIU Edwardsville for a 2:00pm match.
