Box Score CHARLESTON, Ill. -- A dominant fourth set performance by Belmont Volleyball sealed the team's second win in conference play. The Bruins (8-4, 2-0 OVC) won their seventh match in the all-time series over Eastern Illinois (3-13, 0-2 OVC), 3-1.
Belmont jumped out to a 4-1 lead and surged behind kills by junior Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.) and sophomore Courtlyn Ison (Ooltewah, Tenn.). Ahead by four, 9-5, the Panthers called timeout to try to slow the Bruins' momentum. However, it did little to help them trim the point differential. BU was able to stay ahead by four points consistently, including a kill down the middle by junior Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) which was the 1,000th of her career. The Bruins kept surging and went up 21-14, forcing Eastern Illinois to burn its final timeout of the set. The Panthers put together a late rally, notching four consecutive points but a long serve handed BU the 25-20 win in the first frame.
EIU wasted little time trying to take control of the second set, going up 3-1. However, it was short lived as the Bruins used back-to-bac k kills by redshirt sophomore Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) and Lewis to pull within striking distance. Belmont burned a timeout after falling behind, 7-4. EIU expanded its lead to as many as four points before BU rallied and made it a two-point set, 14-12. Suddenly, the Panthers rolled off five consecutive points, including a pair of service aces, to go up, 17-12, forcing Belmont to call its second timeout. Eastern Illinois continued to pounce on service and attack errors to remain ahead down the stretch. Three errors at the end helped the Panthers take the set, 25-17.
The third set was an intense back and forth battle over the first points, with three ties, before Belmont broke the stalemate with four consecutive points to go up, 10-8. EIU was able to knot the score at 11 and push to go up, 14-13. However a cross court kill by Person knotted the score at 14-14 before BU took advantage of back-to-back Panther attack errors. EIU called timeout to regroup but Belmont kept pushing. Three consecutive service aces by Lewis forced the Panthers to call their final timeout but the damage was done as BU led, 23-17. An EIU attack error capped with a brutal kill into the backcourt by Person handed the Bruins the 25-18 set victory.
BU came out swinging in the fourth frame and again grabbed an early lead, forcing the Panthers to call timeout. After allowing EIU to move within striking distance, the Bruins ramped up their intensity, pushing EIU to burn its final timeout of the set. BU refused to let up and ran through seven consecutive points to go up, 19-8. A kill by Person gave Belmont its 20th point of the set and the team never looked back. Eastern Illinois fell stagnant under the weight of strong attacks, blocks and serves that eventually secured the 25-12 set win.
Four Bruins – Ison, Lewis, sophomore Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.), and Person – all recorded double digit kills. Ison and Mullins both set new career highs with 10 apiece while Person notched her second double-double of the season with 12 digs after becoming the seventh player to record 1,000 career points in program history. Price finished with a whopping 49 assists.
Belmont returns to action on Friday, September 30 in the Curb Event Center, hosting in-state rival Tennessee Tech. The contest can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network and live stats will be available.
