Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont Volleyball battled into a fifth set to pull out a win over UT Arlington on the opening day of the Bruiser Showcase. The Bruins (4-1) handed the Mavericks (3-1) their first loss of the season with the 3-2 victory.
Belmont edged out the Mavericks in the first two sets, 25-23 and 25-22, respectively, so it looked like it would be an easy go in the third frame. However, UT Arlington came up with a massive rally to eventually push the match into a fifth and deciding stanza.
The Mavericks came out hot to start the third set and kept pushing through a series of early ties that put the Bruins on their heels. UTA surged behind a 5-0 run to go 17-12. Even with a called timeout, BU struggled to find an answer down the stretch. Belmont used a kill by senior Arianna Person (Lenexa, Kan.) to inch within two points, 20-18. A kill by junior Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.) would give the Bruins a slim lead, 23-22, but UT Arlington rallied for the final three points to take the set.
The start of the fourth set was another intense back and forth battle, with neither team able to hold on to it's a lead by more than a point. After stalemates all the way through the 12th point, UT Arlington began to pull away. The Mavericks were able to blow their lead up to 21-18 before the Bruins were forced to burn a timeout. However, BU was only able to add one more point down the stretch as UTA took the set, 25-19.
In their second fifth set match of the season, the Bruins came out streaking, going to 5-1 and did not look back. Belmont took an 8-2 lead at the switch and continued to grow its lead down the stretch. With a 10-3 advantage, UT Arlington called timeout to try to get a handle on the set but it was too little too late. A resounding dual block by freshman Huntir Bass (Mobile, Ala.) and Person sealed the 15-6 set win that gave BU the match, 3-2.
Graduate student Jessica Vestal (Concord, Calif.) led all Bruins with a season-high 13 kills. Three more Bruins reached double digits in kills – Person and Nichols with 11 apiece and junior Maggie Mullins (Nashville, Tenn.) with 10. Price tallied a match-high 48 assists in the effort. Senior Ellie Ivancich (Naperville, Ill.) and Person led the team in digs with 17 and 13, respectively.
Belmont returns to action later on the first day of the Bruiser Showcase. The Bruins face off against Idaho State beginning at 6 p.m. The match will be streamed live on the OVC Digital Network and live stats will be available. Fans may also follow the team's Twitter account (@BelmontVB) for live, in-game updates.
