NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont volleyball (7-10, 0-1) fell to Morehead State in three on Friday night in the Ohio Valley Conference opener.
Belmont struck first in the opening set, but Morehead State responded scoring twelve unanswered points. Senior Allison McCoy (Huntington Beach, Calif.) silenced their run with a kill. The Eagles, hit .273 in the first set, and won the set, 25-18.
The Bruins took a 4-0 lead in the second. Morehead State tried to close the gap as both teams exchanged short runs, but Belmont maintained their lead. Morehead State's Aryn Bohannon sparked a 5-0 run to tie the match at 18-18. A kill from junior Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) regained the Belmont lead before the Eagles answered back to tie it at 19-19.
Morehead State scored five straight to take a 23-19 lead before a kill from senior Hannah Miranda (Covington, La.) capped a 2-0 run for the Bruins to bring the set within two. The Eagles took a 2-0 advantage at the break, after dropping set two, 25-21.
After the break, the Eagles jumped out to a 9-3 lead. Morehead State scored five straight points, but a kill from freshman Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.) began a run that brought the Bruins within two. A block from McCoy and senior Jen Myer (New Braunfels, Tex.) tied the set at 14-14 before another block from the two tied the set again, this time at 16-16.
The Bruins took a 17-16 lead off a Myer kill and both teams continued to exchange points. A block by Vestal gave Belmont a 24-22 lead until Morehead State scored two straight to tie the set again at 24-24. With the set tied at 25-25, Morehead State scored two straight points to win the set, 27-25.
Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) led Belmont with a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs.
Belmont will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, September 28 against Eastern Kentucky at 2:00pm in the Curb Event Center.
