Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- Belmont Volleyball came up big in the fifth set on the road at Jacksonville State on Friday night. The Bruins (13-11, 7-6 OVC) snapped a three-match skid, fueled by a dominant fifth set performance over the Gamecocks (17-16, 5-8 OVC), to win 3-2.
After an intense back and forth over the first 10 points of the set, the Bruins were able to tie the score, 14-14. BU grew its lead to as many as three, 18-15, before Jacksonville State called timeout. Belmont continued to roll, using kills by redshirt sophomore Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) and Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.), forcing the Gamecocks to burn their final timeout of the set. The Bruins went up 23-20 but JSU rebounded and made it one point set. However, a block by Price and Nichols cemented the set, 25-23, in favor of the Bruins.
JSU went up 7-3 early in the second frame before the Bruins clawed back into action. Capitalizing on Gamecock attack errors and kills by Nichols and Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.), Belmont quickly knotted the score, 10-10. Jacksonville State used a 6-1 run to pull away for good midway through the set. BU threatened late behind three dramatic kills by Person, inching the team to within three, 23-20. The Gamecocks gave up two points on errors and had to call their final timeout with Belmont on its heels, 23-22. Despite a rallying kill by Tori Simmons (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), JSU was able to pull out the 25-23 win.
BU was hot to start the third set and went on a 6-1 run to get things started. A stunned JSU bench called timeout but it did little to stop the hot hitting Bruins. Belmont maintained a three-point lead through the midpoint of the set before Jacksonville State inched to within one, 16-15. The Bruins called timeout and quickly rebuilt their lead down the stretch. BU used a 5-0 to end the set and take the 25-19 win.
Jacksonville State returned the favor at the start of set four, going up 12-3, forcing Belmont to use both of its timeouts in quick succession. The Gamecocks continued to roll, putting distance between the teams, as many as 10 points at the midpoint. The Bruins managed a late rally with Simmons and Keely Hardin (Round Rock, Texas) behind the service line. However, it was too little too late as JSU took the set, 25-17.
The fifth set was all Belmont. After brief ties at 3-3 and 4-4, the Bruins turned on the afterburners. BU used a 4-1 run to take an 8-4 lead before the switch and did not look back. Down 10-5, the Gamecocks called timeout but the Bruins would not be denied. With Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) behind the service line, the Bruins rolled off the final three points of the set to pick up the 15-7 win and secure the match.
Price finished with a match-high 63 assists. Four Bruins reached double figures in kills, led by Simmons and Person, who tallied 18 apiece, followed by Courtlyn Ison (Ooltewah, Tenn.) and Nichols with 10 each. Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.) recorded match-high three service aces while Ison tallied eight block assists.
Belmont returns to action on Saturday afternoon at in-state rival Tennessee Tech. First serve is set for 4 p.m. The contest can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network and live stats will also be available. Fans may also follow the team's Twitter account (@BelmontVB) for live, in-game updates.
