Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont volleyball was edged by Eastern Kentucky in five sets (25-23, 21-25, 25-23, 19-25, 14-16) Friday night at the Curb Event Center in the Bruins opening match of Ohio Valley Conference play.
The Bruins found themselves trailing, 15-13, midway through the first set but the Bruins scored four of the next six points as a service ace from BU's Regan Kennamer (Huntsville, Ala.) tied the match at 17.
EKU thwarted Belmont's run as the Colonels recorded five-straight points to create seperation between the two teams, 22-17.
The Bruins rallied, however, as BU tallied eight of the next nine points as Belmont took the set, 25-23.
Middle blocker Jocelyn Youngdahl (Stillwater, Minn.) was the catalyst for the Bruins' offense in the opening set as the junior tallied five kills while recording a .231 hitting percentage.
EKU responded in the second set as the Colonels jumped out to an early 7-3 advantage.
Belmont drew to within a single point at 12-11 but six-straight EKU points gave the Colonels a comfortable, 18-11 advantage.
With Belmont trailing 21-12, the Bruins mounted another rally, tallying six-straight points to get within three, 21-18.
EKU responded to the Belmont charge as the Colonels scored three of the next four points to pull ahead, 24-19.
The Bruins once again closed to within three, 24-21, but an EKU kill gave the set to the Colonels, 25-21, as the visitors tied up the match heading into intermission.
Belmont's Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.) led the offensive charge for the Bruins in the second stanza as the freshman tallied four kills off a .143 hitting percentage as BU outhit EKU, .103-.083.
The third set proved to be another close contest as a service ace from senior Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.) tied the set at 15.
Back and forth play followed as the two teams traded several leads.
Belmont broke a stalemate at 19 as the Bruins tallied three-straight points to pull ahead, 22-19.
That would prove to be the final lead change of the set as a solo block from Lewis finished off the stanza in Belmont's favor, 25-23.
BU's Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) led the Bruins offensively in the third set as the freshman tallied five kills off a .125 hitting percentage.
EKU once again responded as the Colonels led the fourth set from start to finish in order to extend the match with a 25-19 victory.
Person paced the Bruins with six kills and four digs on the set as EKU outhit Belmont, .270-.122, in the fourth stanza.
The fifth set stayed close early on as the two teams traded pointed throughout the first 20 points as the squads stayed knotted at 10.
EKU (11-6, 1-0 OVC) broke the stalemate with three-straight points but Belmont responded to the Colonel rally with three points of their own to knot the set.
With the score tied at 14, EKU tallied the final two points in order to take the set, 16-14, and the match, 3-2.
Person finished the match with a career-high 21 kills to go along with 14 digs.
Freshman libero Ellie Ivancich led the Bruins with 25 digs on the contest while setter Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) finished with career-high 54 assists.
Belmont (4-10, 0-1 OVC) returns to action tomorrow as the Bruins are set to welcome Morehead State to the Curb Event Center for a 2 p.m. match. Live stats and video will be avialable for the contest with the Eagles.
