SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The Bellarmine University volleyball team's comeback bid came up short as University of Illinois Springfield pulled out the five set win 25-12, 25-17, 21-25, 23-25, 15-11 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference contest at the TRAC.
 
The Knights' Achilles heel was the attack game as Bellarmine had negative hitting percentages in the three sets they lost. Meanwhile, the Prairie Stars were solid at the net, recording 14 team blocks to just five for the Knights.
 
The service game also was a big reason for Illinois Springfield's success.  The Prairie Stars rang up 11 service aces while committing just eight errors while Bellarmine recorded just four aces but made 13 service errors.
 
A bright spot for Bellarmine was Ashley Jefferson, who led all players with 15 kills while hitting .344.  Sophomore setter Allie Muha posted a double-double with 32 assists and 11 digs, and Hayden Dailey was just one kill short of her own double-double with nine kills and 11 digs.
 
Nora Palermo paced the Prairie Stars with 11 kills while Alyssa Hasler and Emma Burkle led the hosts in the blocking department combining for 11 assisted blocks and one solo block.
 
Illinois Springfield improves to 4-10 (2-3 GLVC) while the Knights suffer their sixth straight defeat in falling to 6-9 overall and 1-4 in league play.
 
The Knights are back in action Saturday afternoon, when they travel to Lebanon, Ill., to face McKendree at 3 p.m. (CDT).
 
BOX SCORE (HTM)