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Volleyball Set to Host Valpo and UIC at Curb This Weekend

Bruins Aim To Build Towards Postseason Berth in First Season in MVC

Belmont (7-19, 3-10 MVC) vs. Valparaiso (19-6, 7-6 MVC) 

Friday, Nov. 4 | 6 p.m. 

ESPN3 | Live Stats | Match Notes | Tickets 

Belmont vs. UIC (16-9, 8-5 MVC) 

Saturday, Nov. 5 | 5 p.m. 

ESPN3 | Live Stats | Tickets 

Curb Event Center | Nashville, Tennessee 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Belmont University volleyball team returns to the Music City this weekend for a pair of crucial Missouri Valley Conference clashes at the Curb Event Center. 

Friday's Alumni Night match against Valparaiso is scheduled for 6 p.m., while Saturday's Senior Day tilt with UIC will start at 5 p.m., with a senior recognition ceremony coming after the conclusion of the action. 

Both matches will be streamed on ESPN3, with Noah Syverson and Ellie Ivancich on the call. Wade Evans will report from the sidelines on Friday, and Camden Morris will serve as sideline reporter on Saturday. 

Live stats will be available for both matches on BelmontBruins.com, and in-game updates will be posted to Twitter by @BelmontVB. 

What's Bruin 

  • Belmont enters this weekend's action trying to snap an eight-match losing streak 

  • Belmont is still alive for the MVC Championship, which will feature the top eight seeds in the MVC standings. The Bruins are currently in 11th, two games back of a three-way tie for sixth place 

  • Last weekend, the Bruins traveled to Iowa for the first time in program history, falling in a pair of tough matches to the top two teams in the Valley, Drake and Northern Iowa 

  • Belmont is fifth in the Valley in opponent blocks, having only hit in to 90.5 blocks all season 

  • The Bruins rank inside the top-100 in NCAA Division I in kills (1,172), assists (1,090), and service aces (143) 

  • The last time Belmont faced Valparaiso on October 8, junior libero Rachel McBride tallied 37 digs, the second-most in a match in program history and tied for the most by a Valley player in 2022 

  • McBride is ninth in the MVC in digs (371) 

  • The native of Decatur, Ind., currently owns 987 career digs, with an opportunity this weekend to become the ninth active MVC player to eclipse 1,000 

  • Belmont boasts two of the top blockers in the Valley, with junior Sydney Willis ranking seventh (84 blocks) and junior Kristen Clemons ranking 12th (74 blocks) 

  • Clemons, a middle blocker from Louisville, Ky., is 12th in the MVC in hitting percentage (.308) and 14th in kills (256), and leads all middle blockers in the conference in kills 

  • Junior outside hitter Laura Shoopman is sixth in the MVC in kills (324) and sixth in points (367) 

  • Junior setter Peyton O'Brien is eighth in the Valley in total assists (748) and eighth in assists per set (7.96) 

  • Freshman outside hitter Brooke Gilleland has 176 kills this season, the most for a Bruin freshman since Taylor Floyd had 246 in 2018 

  • The Bruins will play three of their final five regular season games at home. Friday and Saturday's matches mark the final weekend home games of the 2022 season. 

  • Belmont closes out the regular season on Wednesday, November 16, against Murray State, at the Curb Event Center 

About the Beacons 

  • Valparaiso has been one of the best defensive teams in the MVC this season, leading the conference in digs (930) and ranking third in blocks per set (2.29) 

  • The Beacons got out to the best start in program history this season, going a perfect 12-0 in non-conference play 

  • After winning five of their first seven MVC matches, Valpo enters this weekend having lost four of their last six 

  • Freshman libero Emma Hickey is a frontrunner for MVC Freshman of the Year, as she ranks third in NCAA Division I in total digs (547) 

  • Valparaiso leads the all-time series with Belmont, 2-0, with the first meeting coming in 2005 

  • The Beacons and Bruins clashed on October 8 at the ARC in Valparaiso, Indiana. Valpo won the first two sets, 25-23 and 25-21, before Belmont stormed back and won the next two frames, 25-20 and 25-22, forcing a fifth set that Valpo would win, 15-9

About the Flames 

  • The last time UIC was on the road, on Oct. 21-22, they narrowly edged both Missouri State and Southern Illinois in five sets each 

  • UIC leads the league in hitting percentage (.255) and assists per set (13.24) 

  • The Flames are 11th in NCAA Division I in both total kills (1,325) and total assists (1,231) 

  • Outside hitter Martina Delucchi has accounted for 379 points this season, second-best in the MVC and 22nd nationally 

  • UIC leads the all-time series with Belmont, 2-1, with the first meeting coming in 2012 

  • The Flames and Bruins met on October 7 at the Flames Athletic Center in Chicago, Illinois. UIC swept the match, 25-14, 25-18, 25-20. Laura Shoopman finished with 14 of Belmont's 27 kills on the night. 

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.              

#ItsBruinTime 

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