Box Score Jackonsville, Ala. -- Belmont volleyball came back to defeat Jacksonsville State in five sets (25-22, 20-25, 25-18, 25-16, 15-12) as the Bruins picked up their fifth win in a row Saturday afternoon.
The Bruins started fast offensively against the Gamecocks as Belmont captured the first set, 25-22, in large part due to a .316 hitting percentage as the BU hitters recorded 18 kills in 38 attacks.
Jacksonville State (12-9, 5-1 OVC) responded as the hosts limited Belmont offensively the following two sets as the Bruins only hit .156 and .083 respectively as the Gamecocks took both sets in order to push ahead on the match, 2-1.
With the two teams squared at 8 in the fourth stanza, Belmont's offense responded as the Bruins tallied eight of the next 10 points in order to take a 16-10 advantage.
JSU couldn't get closer than five points the rest of the way as back-to-back kills by Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) gave the set to Belmont, 25-16, and pushed the match into a deciding fifth set.
The fifth stanza was close throughout as the two teams stood knotted at 8 at the midpoint mark.
After a pair of JSU kills, Belmont found themselves trailing, 11-9, before Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) spurred a match-defining run as the senior recorded three kills as BU tallied five straight points in order to take a 14-11 advantage.
After a JSU kill ended the Bruin run, a kill by setter Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) ended the set, 15-11, as Belmont prevailed in five sets, handing Jacksonville State its first conference loss.
Person made an impact both offensively and defensively as the rookie produced another double-double performance, finishing wtih 14 kills and 23 digs.
Junior Jocelyn Youngdahl led the Bruins with a match-high 18 kills and Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) finished with 15 kills off a match-best .414 hitting percentage.
Maddie Croft was the fourth Bruin to record double-digit kills as the junior finished with 11 off 25 swings.
Price finished with a match-high 69 assists for the Bruins.
Belmont (9-10, 5-1 OVC) returns home to the Curb Event Center this Friday, Oct. 17, for a 6 p.m. CT match against Murray State.
