Box Score RICHMOND, Ky. -- Despite battling into an exta set, Belmont Volleyball was unable to pull out a win on the road at Eastern Kentucky on Friday evening. The Bruins (11-12, 6-5 OVC) were held off by the Colonels (10-15, 8-3 OVC), 3-1.
After trading points to settle into a 5-5 stalemate, the Colonels surged ahead to grab a 12-7 lead early in the first stanza. EKU held onto its five-point advantage through the midpoint of the set before the Bruins attempted to claw back into the frame. Kills by seniors Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) and Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) combined with unforced Eastern Kentucky errors narrowed the gap to three points, 16-13. BU pushed again and made it a one-point set, 17-16, behind a kill by graduate student Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.). The sudden flurry saw EKU call its lone timeout of the set. Out of the brief break, the Colonels did not back down and used an 8-2 run to close out for the 25-18 win.
Belmont jumped out early in the second set, pulling ahead by one point, 6-5, thanks to a pair of Person kills and a service ace. Behind the strong serving of senior Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.), the Bruins doubled up on EKU, 12-6, lifted by an 8-0 run, highlighted with kills from juniors Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.) and Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.). BU maintained a nearly seven-point differential before the Colonels attempted to close the door. EKU moved to within four, 18-14, forcing the Bruins to call timeout to regain composure. Immediately out of the break, Mullins drilled a kill into the back row to help spur her teammates. Eastern Kentucky had no answers down the stretch for kills from Nichols and Person as Lewis smashed home the set point to secure the 25-22 win.
Throughout the third set, the teams traded points, with neither side allowing the other to pull away by more than two points at a time. BU took a 19-18 lead, forcing the Colonels to call the first timeout of the stanza. Quickly stalemated at 20-20, EKU used a 4-0 flurry to take a 22-20 lead. The Bruins pushed back to inch to within one point, 23-22, thanks to a kill by Lewis. However, the Colonels closed the set with a 3-0 run to win, 25-23.
Eastern Kentucky turned up the heat in the fourth frame early. The Colonels built up a five-point advantage, 11-6, but Belmont battled back with a 5-1 flurry to inch to within one, 13-12. Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Bruins would come in what would become the final stanza. BU called timeout, trailing by four, 16-12, but the Colonel lead continued to expand. EKU would hold Belmont to just five additional points down the stretch as it took the set, 25-20.
Person led all attackers with a match-high 18 kills, followed by Nichols, who contributed 12. Senior Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) finished with a match-high 43 assists, one shy of the entire EKU team total. Four Bruins reached double figures in digs, led by Ivancich, who tallied 17. Price and junior Tori Simmons (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) added 12 digs apiece while senior Emily Richards (Penfield, N.Y.) netted 10. Lewis recorded a solo block and tallied a match-high five block assists.
Belmont returns to action on Saturday with a road match at Morehead State. First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT. Live stats will be available and the match can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network. Fans may also follow the team's Twitter account (@BelmontVB) for live, in-game updates.
