Box Score EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Belmont volleyball (8-12, 1-3) dropped a four-set match to SIU Edwardsville on Saturday afternoon.
SIU Edwardsville took the opening set, 25-18. The Cougars jumped on the board first and maintained a small lead. A kill from junior Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) put Belmont within one, 14-13, but SIUE responded by scoring three straight points. The Cougars went on to extend their lead and ended the set on a 4-1 run.
The Bruins opened set two with eight straight points. The Cougars battled back and came within five, 15-10 but a kill from Martin sparked a 5-0 run and extended Belmont's lead to 20-10. The Cougars cut the Bruins' lead to four, but kills from senior Jen Myer (New Braunfels, Tex.) and junior Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) ended the set, 25-20.
In the third set, both teams exchanged points, a kill from senior Allison McCoy (Huntington Beach, Calif.) tied the set at 9-9 and began a short run for the Bruins. The set remained close before a 4-1 run from SIUE finished the set, giving the Cougars a 2-1 advantage.
Behind SIUE attack errors and a pair of kills from Myer, Belmont jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth. The Cougars answered with their own run to take a 5-4 lead. A kill from McCoy tied the set at 5-5, before SIUE scored five straight points to extend their lead to 10-5.
Belmont cut the lead to three behind a 4-0 run sparked by McCoy. The Cougars continued to extend their lead, but a kills from Gable and Martin put Belmont within one, 22-21. However, SIUE ended the set on a 3-1 run to win the match.
McCoy led Belmont with 12 kills. Myer registered a double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs.
Belmont continues its road swing with a pair of conference matches next weekend with Jacksonville State and Tennessee Tech.
