LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Bellarmine volleyball team returns to action on Friday for the first time since Feb. 14, and for the first time since January 31, they will face someone other than Kennesaw State.
 
The Knights travel to Nashville to take on the Lipscomb Bisons in ASUN Conference action with games on Friday and Saturday.  Match time is set for 6 PM (CT) both nights. 
 
Due to COVID-related re-scheduling, Bellarmine had the unenviable task of facing defending ASUN champion Kennesaw State in its first four conference matches. Although the Knights managed to take a few sets, the Owls won all four matches as Bellarmine fell to 1-7 overall on the season.
 
While Bellarmine finally gets a different ASUN opponent on Sunday, the challenges remain stiff.  The Bisons have opened the 2020-21 campaign 6-2 overall and 3-1 in league play.  Lipscomb started ASUN play by taking two matches from Liberty before splitting with North Alabama in its most recent action.
 
The Bisons are led by 6-foot senior outside Megan Kuper, who is averaging just under three and a half kills per set and has amassed 94 in her first eight matches.  Meg Mersman, a 6-2 freshman middle, is second on the team in total points, adding 29 blocks to go with 62 kills on the season.
 
Bellarmine's top point-producers this season have come from the middle where Hannah Brown and Abbie Oetting have totaled 82 and 75.5 points respectively.  Brown is the Knights' kills leader with 73 while Oetting has notched 26 total blocks for the team lead.
 
Chrysanthi Stamatiou, a graduate transfer from the University of Cincinnati, is the Knights' top outside hitter with 66 kills on the season.  Other Bellarmine leaders heading into the Lipscomb series include Nashville native Sam Rickert with 215 assists while libero Karleigh Wilson has notched 103 digs and 10 service aces to lead the Knights in both of those categories.