Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont University Volleyball wrapped the 2016 regular season with a three-set defeat of visiting Morehead State on Saturday afternoon at the Curb Event Center. The Bruins (16-11, 10-6 OVC) picked up the 3-0 win over the Eagles (11-19, 7-9 OVC) to secure the No. 4 seed heading into next week's OVC Tournament.
The Bruins got off to a hot start to open the first stanza, going up 10-3, thanks to kills by sophomores Tori Simmons (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Courtlyn Ison (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and junior Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) before Morehead State was forced to burn its first timeout. BU doubled its lead, 14-7, but the Eagles began to claw back into the midpoint of the match, trimming the Bruin lead down to two points, 17-15. Belmont called a quick timeout to regroup and emerged with a return to its earlier strong form. Soon, it would be the Eagles calling timeout with Belmont ahead, 20-15. A stingy BU defense only allowed Morehead State to add only two points as it buckled down to take the set, 25-17.
Morehead State battled hard to open the second frame and pushed the teams into a back and forth battle that resulted in five ties. The Bruins were able to grab a two-point advantage and refused to relinquish it through the midpoint of the set. BU expanded its lead to four, 15-11, behind a series of kills by junior Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) and the Eagles had to call timeout. MSU came out of the brief break a little more organized and was able to close the gap to one point, 19-18, before the Bruins opened up another lead. Costly Eagle errors put BU on top, 22-18, forcing them to burn their final timeout of the set. However, it was not enough to keep them from halting the errors that inched the Bruins closer and closer to taking a second set. A kill by Person set the team up for set point before a Morehead State service error handed the set to BU, 25-21.
The Eagles came out of the break between sets with a renewed energy, putting up four quick points to start set three. Belmont called a quick timeout and then used a kill by Simmons and built on consecutive attack errors by Morehead State to knot the score, 8-8. This time it would be MSU who would call timeout. After the brief break, the Eagles rebuilt a three-point lead. However, it would be short lived. The Bruins used blocks by redshirt sophomore Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.), sophomore Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.), Ison, Person and Price to close the gap. Suddenly, BU had regained the lead and went up by three, 20-17. The Eagles used their final timeout in an attempt to halt the streaking Bruins but victory was inevitable. With Simmons behind the service line, Belmont rolled off four consecutive points. Only a service error halted the point onslaught that put BU ahead, 24-18. With victory so close, Person slammed a kill into the center of the court to secure the win for Belmont, 25-18.
Person led all players with a match-high 12 kills. Junior Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) finished with a match-high 17 digs and two service aces while classmate Price tallied a match-high 30 assists. Nichols recorded five block assists and Mullins picked up four.
Belmont returns to action week at the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The location will decided later tonight in a battle for the top seed in tournament. The Bruins will enter as the No. 4 seed and will play No. 5 Eastern Kentucky in the first round.
OVC Tournament matches can be seen on the OVC Digital Network and live stats will be available. Fans may follow the team's Twitter account (@BelmontVB) for live, in-game updates.
