Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Despite hitting .310 after two sets the Bruins fall to South Alabama in four, 25-23, 21-25, 16-25 and 15-25.
Sophomore Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.) lead the offense with 12 kills and one error on 24 attacks hitting a career best .458. Sophomore Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) also added 12 kills to the match. Redshirt Freshman Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) led the defense with seven blocking assists.
Set one was a point for point battle to the bitter end between Belmont and South Alabama. Neither team lead by more then two points until the very end when Belmont took the lead to three at 24-21. The Jaguars pull within one making the score 24-23, Head Coach Tony Howell takes a time out and Belmont would return to the court to finish the set with a block by Redshirt Junior Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.) and Senior Jocelyn Youngdahl (Stillwater, Minn.). Sophomores Person and Lewis hit .444 and .714 respectively on the first set with the team hitting for an average of .314, with 15 kills and four errors on 35 attempts.
South Alabama came back pushing in the second set taking a 5-1 lead before Lewis ended the streak with a kill. With Sophomore Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) the Bruins brought the set within one. South Alabama once again takes a four-point lead. The Jaguars would continue to hold this lead closing out the set 25-21 and tying the match up at ones.
Jaguars take an early lead once again in the third set, while the Bruins were plagued by unforced errors. Despite an aggressive offense hitting .310 so far this match, the Bruins trail 14-5. South Alabama continued to hold the lead taking home set three 25-16. The Bruins fought hard to tie up the match at two but an early lead by South Alabama proved fatal once again as Belmont fell in the fourth set 25-15.