Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont volleyball extended its winning streak to four matches Saturday afternoon as the Bruins sent its 2014 senior class out in style with a sweep of SIUE (25-23, 25-16, 25-21) on senior day.
The opening stanza proved to be a back-and-forth contest throughout as the two teams failed to create separation and stood squared at 20 late in the set.
SIUE (14-17, 6-10 OVC) tallied back-to-back points to break the tie but the Bruins responded by tallying five of the next six points as the senior duo Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and Kelsi Dean (Marietta, Ga.) teamed up for a block that gave the opening set to the Bruins, 25-23.
Leading 17-14 midway through the second set, the Bruins went on a run as Belmont tallied the next six points in order to extend their lead to a commanding, 22-14 advantage.
A kill by senior Scarlet Gable (Munford, Tenn.) finished out the set in Belmont's favor, 25-16, as the Bruins went into intermission leading two sets to none on the match.
BU found themselves trailing, 19-17, in the third stanza as the Cougars seemed poised to extend the match into a fourth set.
The hosts responded to the SIUE charge; as the Bruins notched the following six points in order regain the lead, 23-19.
Leading 24-21, a BU senior once again closed the door on the visitors from Edwardsville, Illinois, as a kill by Kelsi Dean gave the set to the Bruins, 25-21, and gave the Bruins a sweep on the afternoon.
Playing in her final match at the Curb Event Center, Gable recorded a near double-double with eight kills to go along with nine digs.
Freshman Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.) led the Bruins with nine kills on the contest while libero Emily Richards (Penfield, N.Y.) notched a match-best 13 digs.
Belmont (17-13, 13-3 OVC) will head into the upcoming OVC tournament as the No. 2 seed as the Bruins are set to begin action this Thursday, Nov. 20, on the campus of top-seeded Murray State.
