Box Score EVANSTON, Ill. – Belmont volleyball (2-5) snapped a four game skid with a five-set win over Columbia Saturday morning in the Wildcat Classic.
Belmont won the opening set, 25-15 after the Bruins took control early with a 7-2 lead. Columbia rallied back going on several short runs to try and close the gap, but the Bruins continued to extend their lead. A kill from Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) sparked a Belmont run and the Bruins closed the set scoring four unanswered points.
In set two, Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.) put Belmont on the board first. Despite the Bruins jumping out to an early lead again, Columbia fought back to come within one, 8-7. Capped by a Columbia attack error, the Bruins scored three unanswered points to extend their lead to 22-15. The Lions responded with a 4-1 run and cut BU's lead to 23-19, but kills from Vestal and Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) closed the set, 25-19 and gave Belmont a 2-0 advantage at the break.
Columbia battled back and took the third set, 25-18. The Lions took an 8-6 lead, but Belmont tied it at 8-all behind a kill from Gable and a Lions error. The Lions continued to extend their lead before BU silenced their run with three straight points to take a 12-11 lead. A 5-1 run by the Lions put them ahead 16-13. Columbia continued to extend their lead as they closed the set on a 3-1 run.
The fourth set remained close, with both teams exchanging points. A kill from Hannah Miranda (Covington, La.) capped a run for the Bruins as they scored five unanswered points to take a two-point lead, 10-8. Columbia silenced BU's run and took an 11-10 lead.
Columbia took the fourth set, 25-14 as the Lions scored 12 unanswered points to end the set, tying the match at 2-2 and forcing a fifth set.
In the deciding set, Belmont jumped out to a 4-1 lead and three straight kills from Gable put BU ahead 8-4. The Bruins scored four unanswered points to take a seven-point lead. A pair of kills from Vestal gave Belmont a 15-8 win in the fifth to take the match, 3-2.
Gable recorded a double-double in the match with a team-high 18 kills and 20 digs. Vestal added 14 kills. Jamie Lundstrom (La Grange, Ill.) paced the defense with 27 digs and she was also named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Bruins will continue their road swing tonight at Northern Illinois. The match time is set for 7:00pm.
