Bruins Blast Tigers

NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Belmont battles to take home a five set victory over Memphis notching the second win of the weekend making them the tournament champions. After taking the first set 25-23, Memphis dominated the next two taking both with a score of 25-15. Bruins came back fighting taking set four 26-24 and set five 15-12.

Sophomore Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.) led the offensive attack with a career-high 20 kills hitting for an average of .357; followed by Redshirt Freshman Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) with 10 kills and only one error hitting for an average of .429, Sophomore Arianna Person with 13 kills and an average of .212, and Senior Jocelyn Youngdahl finished with 10 kills. Sophomore Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) led the defensive effort with 19 digs; the team posted 60 digs on five blocks in the match. Sophomore Emma Price (Fort Mill, SC) recorded 53 assists on the match.

Bruins take a first set battle 25-23; it was an all around effort with the team attacking hard notching 17 kills on the set. Nichols recorded one kill, Mullins and Youngdahl both recorded three kills, Person recorded four kills and Lewis lead the team with six kills on the set. After being down 18-15 Belmont earned all 10 of their points to close out the match. Within those 10 points were three kills by Person, an ace by Youngdahl and Ivancich, a kill by Mullins, and Nichols, two kills by Lewis and a block from Lewis and Nichols.

Memphis came out strong in set two jumping out to an early 11-8 lead. Despite another 10 kills by the Bruins in the second set, Memphis takes it 25-16. Lewis recorded another four kills in the second set to make her total 10 while hitting for an average of .348.

Memphis once again comes out strong jumping out to a 5-1 lead. From this point it was a point-for-point battle between the Bruins and the Tigers. With their seventh block in the set Memphis takes the largest lead of the match 22-12. Belmont put together another 10 kills in set three, but with 11 hitting errors and Memphis recording nine kills and seven blocks the Tigers take set three 25-15. Memphis now leads the series two sets to one.

Throughout the entire fourth set it was a point-for-point battle with no team holding more then a two-point lead. With the Bruins up 18-16, Memphis rallied together four straight points to take a 20-18 lead. Person and Nichols put together a strong front to once again give the Bruins the lead at 23-22, Person recorded two kills an ace and a block along side Nichols who also recorded a kill. With Tigers up 24-23 Belmont ropes together three kills, two by Price and one by Lewis, to take the set 26-24. Bruins hit a phenomenal .394 on the set with 16 kills as a team.

Bruins went down 6-3 in set five but with two kills and an ace by Lewis, and a little help from the Tigers Belmont strings together four to go up 7-6. Belmont switched sides up 8-7. Bruins take a three-point lead going up 11-8 after two big kills by Youngdahl and Person. With a missed serve by Memphis, Belmont takes a 13-10 lead. Two kills by Memphis brought the Tigers back within one at 13-12. After Head Coach Tony Howell calls a time-out Nichols puts down two kills to take the set 15-12.

Lewis was named as the Tournament MVP finishing the weekend with 41 kills, 5 aces, 28 digs and three block assists. Person was also named to the All-Tournament team finishing the weekend with 47 kills, seven aces, 43 digs and six block assists.

Lewis and Person Reflect on the Victory Over Memphis