LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University volleyball team closed out the regular season with a 3-1 loss to Illinois Springfield in Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Saturday at Knights Hall.

After dropping the first set 22-25, Bellarmine (10-22, 2-16 GLVC) rallied to take the second game against the Prairie Stars (7-24, 4-14), 25-19. However, UIS responded by winning the final two sets, 25-17 and 25-23.

Sophomore Margaret Horihan had another huge performance for the Knights, piling up a match-high 17 kills and notching a double-double with 17 digs. Horihan closed the season with five straight matches with 11 or more kills. Four of those outings resulted in double-doubles.

Sophomore Megan Kimbley added 12 kills for Bellarmine, while junior Ashley Jefferson chipped in 11. Freshman Jordyn Kuchenbrod registered a match-best 24 digs, sophomore Bridget Guinane had four blocks and Phoenix Fowler, who was honored on Senior Day, collected eight digs in the final match of her Knights career. Sophomore Allie Muha racked up a match-high 44 assists.

On the other side of the net, Alyssa Hasler paced Illinois Springfield with 15 kills and Nikki Madoch had 10. The Knights had more kills — 56-52 — than the Prairie Stars, but they committed six more attacking errors.

Illinois Springfield raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first set and never trailed. The Knights battled back to within 15-16, but the Prairie Stars pushed back to lead 24-18. BU scored four straight points to make it interesting before UIS closed it out.

In the second set, Jefferson capped a 5-0 run with a kill as Bellarmine led 14-7. The advantage swelled to 19-10 on a kill by Guinane before Illinois Springfield surged back to get within 19-23. The Knights locked up the set on consecutive kills by Kimbley and Horihan.

Illinois Springfield opened the third set with four straight points and went on to build a 17-6 lead before decisively winning the set.

Bellarmine led the fourth set 17-12, but UIS tied it with a 5-0 run and, with the score knotted again at 23, managed the last two points to clinch the win.

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