Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A string of slow starts was too much for the Belmont University volleyball team to overcome Tuesday evening as the Bruins fell to Western Kentucky in three sets (25-23, 25-16, 25-20).
Playing in their first road match of the season, the Bruins found themselves trailing, 15-7, midway through the first set at WKU's E.A. Diddle Arena.
Belmont shortly found its footing as the Bruins made a run, scoring the next five points in order to climb to within three, 15-12.
BU kept within striking distance for the next several points and a service ace by freshman Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) drew Belmont to within a single point, 23-22.
The Bruins couldn't take advantage of the momentum; however, as two Belmont hitting errors gave WKU the set, 25-23.
Belmont started the second set in much of the same manner as the first as the Bruins fell behind early, 10-3.
BU used a back-to-back kills by Person and a third by Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) to scratch to within five, 17-12, but the Lady Topppers responded, outscoring the Bruins, 8-4, the rest of the way in order to take an easy 25-16 victory.
In the third set, the Bruins once again found themselves in a familiar position as BU trailed WKU, 18-10, midway through.
Belmont (1-3) once again rallied, drawing to within two points as BU tallied 10 of the next 12 points in effort to extend the match to a fourth set.
WKU (2-2) responded to the Bruins rally as the Lady Toppers tallied three straight points in order to take the set, 25-20, and the match, 3-0.
Person led the Bruins with seven kills while redshirt freshman Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) had her second double-double on the year with 20 assists to go along with 12 digs. Junior Jocelyn Youngdahl (Stillwater, Minn.) recorded six kills with a .308 hitting percentage.
Martin led the Bruins with five blocks, including three solo efforts.
Belmont will return to action this weekend as the Bruins are set to take part in the 2014 Bulldog Invitational on the campus of the University of Georgia.
The Bruins open up the invite with at 3 p.m. CT Friday against the College of Charleston.
