Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont dropped a five set heartbreaker (21-25, 25-19, 28-26, 20-25, 13-15) to Lipscomb in the Battle of the Boulevard Tuesday evening.
Belmont combined for a total of 52 kills on the evening, led by sophomore Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) with 17 kills and a double-double with 11 digs. Along with Person, sophomore Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.) recorded 14 kills and redshirt freshman Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) finished the evening with nine kills and only two errors for an average of .467. Nichols also finished the evening with 10 block assists while the Bruins recorded 16 total blocks. Freshman Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.) played big at the net tonight with a total of seven block assists. Four Bruins finished the night with double-digit kills, Person, sophomore Emma Price (Fort Mill, SC), sophomore Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) and sophomore Emily Richards (Penfield, N.Y.).
Lipscomb jumped to a 5-1 lead over Belmont in the first set due to a handful of unforced errors by the Bruins. A 3-0 run by the Bruins tied the match up at 5. The teams would battle point for point until Lipscomb took a 18-14 lead which they would hold onto and finish out set one 25-21
Lipscomb jumped out to a fast start in set two leading 7-3. Two big kills by Lewis gave Belmont the lead 13-11. Two blocks and a kill by Nichols continued Belmont's streak, which gave them the 17-13 advantage. With the score at 20-16 Person put down a kill and a block assist, Nichols recorded a kill and two block assists and Lewis closed out the match with a block assist and a kill.
Lipscomb came out strong in the third set taking the early lead. After a kill by Mullins and senior Jocelyn Youngdahl (Stillwater, Minn.) the Bruins tied it up at six a piece. The teams battled point for point with the Bisons maintaining the lead the majority of the set. With the score at 22-17 in Lipscomb's favor Lewis placed two kills, which brought the Bruins back into the set at 20-22. A pair of blocks by Mullins and Nichols tied the set up at 23 a piece. Both teams battled point for point and a huge solo block by Youngdahl gave Belmont the 26-25 lead. A kill by Mullins and Person closed out set three with a 28-26 victory.
Lipscomb once again took control at the beginning of the set leading the Bruins 16-12. Despite a tough battle and double digit kills by Belmont, Lipscomb took set four 25-20.
The Bisons continued their momentum into set five taking a huge 7-1 lead. A couple of big block brought the set to 3-7, but the two teams switched sides with Lipscomb up 8-3. A 4-0 run highlighted by two huge blocks from the Bruins tied the set at 10. The Bruins and the Bisons continued to play tug-of-war with points, in which both teams had the advantage at one point, until Lipscomb took set five 15-13.
Belmont hits the road this weekend heading to Eastern Kentucky and Morehead to kick off OVC Conference play. Both matches will have live stats available online.
