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AUBURN, Ala. -- Belmont University volleyball dropped a pair of non-conference contests to Nicholls State and Florida A&M on Friday, falling 3-0 in both matches to open up the War Eagle Invitational.
The Bruins bounced back after an early-morning defeat at the hands of the Colonels to play much sounder in what ended up being a loss to the Rattlers.
"I thought the team did a great job refocusing and re-energizing after how poorly we played against Nicholls," head coach Katelyn Harrison. "The numbers we put up against FAMU were stellar and above the standards set for the team this season--unfortunately FAMU played a phenomenal match and just had slightly better numbers in every category."
Belmont faces SEC foe Auburn tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. on SEC Network+ to wrap up the War Eagle Invitational in Auburn, Ala. The match will be Belmont's final non-conference contest before the Bruins dive into OVC play on Tuesday night at home against Tennessee State.
A sluggish start doomed the Bruins in Friday morning's match against Nicholls State, as Belmont fell 10-25, 15-25, and 13-25 in a straight-set loss.
Playing in spacious Auburn Arena at 10 a.m., Belmont couldn't get much going offensively from the jump, committing 11 attack errors in the first set on the way to a -.116 hitting percentage.
The Bruins trailed just 9-12 at one point, but Nicholls (7-3) got on a roll, taking 13 of the next 14 points for the 25-10 set decision. Laura Shoopman was the lone bright spot in the opening frame for Belmont, recording three kills and three digs.
More offensive woes hampered Belmont in the second set, as they committed ten attack errors and hit -.162. After five blocks in the first set, Nicholls tacked on three more in the second set on their way to a 25-15 win.
The Colonels wrapped it up with a quick third set, shutting down the Bruins, 25-13, to earn the sweep. Belmont showed spurts of life, getting blocks from Kailee Bass, Lauren Walsh, and Sydney Willis, along with two quick kills for Missy Sterkel, before bowing out.
For the match, Belmont got just one service ace to eight service errors. The second-best blocking unit in the OVC, the Bruins weren't able to exert their usual control at the net, tallying a season-low three blocks on the morning.
Taking on a talented Florida A&M team that had earlier in the day upset undefeated Auburn in five sets, Belmont scratched and clawed but ended up falling in straight sets for the second time on the day.
The Bruins lost 24-26, 19-25, and 19-25 to put a capper on the opening day of the War Eagle Invitational.
Getting her first start of the season, Izzy Schauer put on a show to the tune of 40 assists and 12 digs. The 40 assists were the most by a Bruin this season, eclipsing Carly Mason's mark of 31 against North Alabama.
Laura Shoopman was the primary recipient of the excellent passing, recording 16 kills on a .257 hitting clip. Taylor Floyd chipped in with 14 kills.
The Bruins gave the Rattlers all they could handle in the first set, but Florida A&M (7-4) escaped with a 26-24 win. Belmont tallied three of their eight total blocks in the first set, while Shoopman led the way with five kills. The set was tied 22-22, 23-23, and 24-24 before the Rattlers finally got back-to-back points to snag the 1-0 set lead.
In the second frame, Belmont hit a remarkable .311, only committing three attack errors. On the night, the Bruins only had 13 attack errors, their fewest in a match since the season-opener against Alcorn State. However, the Rattlers used a late surge to win, 25-19.
In the third and final frame, Florida A&M was able to hold Belmont at bay with one last 25-19 set win. The loss is Belmont's seventh in a row.
Mary Catherine Ball had her best match of the season for Belmont, notching a career-high four blocks to go along with five kills and seven digs. Missy Sterkel was great in complement duty to Shoopman and Floyd, collecting a career-high nine kills on the pins.
From the Coach
"Obviously the outcome isn't what we wanted but we are very proud of the effort and the hard work the team showed, and know that if we can maintain this intensity and intentionality every night we will have a great season." --Katelyn Harrison
The Bruins face SEC foe Auburn in a headliner clash on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+, with Graham Doty on the call. Belmont is 1-8 all-time against the SEC, with the lone win coming against Mississippi State in 2013.
Follow Belmont volleyball on social media - @BelmontVB on Twitter and @belmontvball on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
