Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Going to five sets for a second day in a row, the Belmont University Volleyball team was unable to pull off another come from behind victory, falling 3-2, on Saturday in the Curb Event Center. The Bruins (12-9, 6-4 OVC) were held off in the deciding set, 15-10, by Murray State (14-8, 9-1 OVC) in a rematch of the 2015 OVC Championship title game.
A quick back and forth battle marked the first portion of the opening set before Belmont pulled ahead, 14-11. Murray State was able to knot the score five more times before it began to distance itself. Four consecutive points put the Racers on top, 22-19, and forced BU to burn its first timeout of the set. The Bruins were able to rebound behind kills by redshirt junior Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.) and pull within one, 22-21, before a stunned MSU bench called timeout. Out of the brief break, a kill by Vestal looked to be a tide changer but the Racers were able to outscore Belmont down the stretch and narrowly take the set, 25-23.
MSU grabbed the early points in the second frame before Belmont came storming back. Using multiple kills by sophomore Courtlyn Ison (Ooltewah, Tenn.), and juniors Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) and Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.), BU went ahead 9-4 and the Racers were forced to burn a timeout. The Bruins maintained a two-point advantage headed to the midpoint of the set before Murray State went up, 19-15, building on their kills and capitalizing on untimely Bruin errors. BU was able to rebound using kills by Ison and Person to make it a one-point set, 21-20.
The set neared fever pitch with fans of both programs on their feet as the teams warred down the stretch. The Racers went up 24-22 but the Bruins refused to give in. A MSU attack error opened the door for a service ace by Lewis to knot the score at 24. The set would be tied again at 25 and 26 before the Bruins dug deep and used Racer attack errors to take the set, 28-26.
Belmont jumped out early in set three, going up 5-3. Murray State threatened but the Bruins were able to maintain a two-point differential, thanks to kills by redshirt sophomore Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.). Soon, BU expanded its lead to five, 16-11, and the Racers had to call a timeout to regroup with its largest deficit of the day to that point. Murray State was able to whittle the Bruin lead down to three points but Belmont surged down the stretch. Kills by Person and blocks by a combination of Nichols, Price and Ison kept BU ahead by as many as seven, 23-16. Attack errors did in MSU in the final points and Belmont took the set, 25-18.
The fourth frame started in favor of the Racers with them going up 6-3 early, taking advantage of unfortunate Bruin errors. Murray State grew a point differential as many as four points, 13-9, before Belmont called timeout. After the brief stoppage in play, MSU began pushing once again and expanded its lead behind a 6-1 run, 18-10. BU dug in its collective heels and rolled off three straight points to move within striking distance, 20-16. The Racers called timeout as Belmont continued to build. Nichols continued to be unstoppable at the net, recording three consecutive block assists. A kill by Lewis made it a two-point set, 20-18, and the Bruin fans were once again on their feet. However, the Racers were able to score four of the last six points to take the set, 25-19.
Belmont grabbed the early lead in the fifth and deciding set, punctuated by a kill by freshman Hannah Hickman (The Woodlands, Texas), but Murray State would quickly catch up and force the teams to trade points. The score would be tied three times before the switch with Murray State ahead, 8-6. The Bruins picked up three straight points to knot the score 9-9 and force the Racers to burn a timeout. Back-to-back errors by BU capped with an MSU kill put them ahead for good as Murray State went on to claim the set, 15-10.
Nichols led all players with a match-high 17 kills while Person added 15 in the effort. For a second consecutive match, junior Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) tallied 51 assists. Classmate Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) recorded 25 digs, followed by Lewis, who had 11, and Person, who picked up her eighth double-double with 10 digs.
Belmont returns to action on Tuesday, October 25 with a stop at crosstown rival Tennessee State. First serve is set for 6 p.m. The duel can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network and live stats will be available. Fans may also follow the team's Twitter account (@BelmontVB) for live, in-game updates.
