Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont Volleyball was undone by a sluggish start on Saturday in its first appearance in the Curb Event Center after the season's longest road stretch. The Bruins (12-14, 7-7 OVC) fell to visiting Eastern Illinois (13-12, 7-6 OVC), 3-0.
It marked the first time the Panthers defeated BU since joining the OVC.
The Bruins had a slow start to the opening frame, falling behind by six, 12-6, and using a timeout to get reoriented. Senior Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) drilled a kill into the center of the court as Belmont began climbing out of its deficit. However, the rally was short-lived as Eastern Illinois continued to find ways to add points. BU called its final timeout of the set, trailing 18-10, and went on use kills from juniors Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.) and Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) and Person to build a run to help trim the deficit to four points, 21-17. The Panthers called timeout but Belmont would score the first point after the brief break with a fiery kill from Person. EIU would remain undaunted in the face of the rally and used a 5-1 run to close the set and win it, 25-20.
BU came out of the gate hot to open set two, going on a 4-0 run to start. The Panthers battled back, easing the teams into a back and forth battle that saw six ties before EIU pulled ahead. Belmont called a timeout, trailing 15-12, and quickly narrowed the scoring differential to one point, 15-14, behind a block assist by graduate student Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.) and senior Brie Lewis (Stillwell, Kan.). BU stayed within striking distance until EIU used a 5-0 run to pull ahead, 22-16. Even with a called timeout, the Bruins were unable to find a sustainable answer down the stretch. Belmont saw more kills from Nichols and Person but it was not enough as the team fell, 25-19, before intermission.
Belmont started hot once again but the Panthers were able to take the lead 8-7 behind a quick 3-0 flurry in the third set. The stanza tightened up through the midpoint, with six scoring stalemates, before Eastern Illinois began to pull away. An 8-0 run by EIU was sandwiched by a both of Belmont's called timeouts. Down by five, 20-15, after the final break, freshman Halee Van Poppel (Argyle, Texas) came out swinging with a hard hit kill to stop the rally. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. Eastern Illinois used back-to-back service aces to inch within striking distance of match point and used another point flurry to take the set, 25-18.
Person led the Bruins with a match-high 10 kills. Classmate Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.) tallied a match-high 31 assists while senior Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) finished with a match-high 18 digs.
Belmont returns to action on Friday, November 10 in the Curb Event Center for the start of Senior Weekend. The Bruins host Jacksonville State beginning at 6 p.m. 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.
