LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The Bellarmine Knights fell in straight sets to the Liberty Flames, 25-22, 27-25, and 25-15 on Saturday night at Knights Hall to put a damper on senior day festivities.
 
Prior to the match, the Knights team honored its four graduating seniors: Abbie Oetting, Kristen O'Toole, Izzie Salameh and Karleigh Wilson. (Chrysanthi Stamatiou is technically a senior but will return for next season.)
 
The first two sets were both close and disappointing losses for the Knights. After building early leads in both frames, Bellarmine saw the Flames rally for the victories.  In game two, Bellarmine let two set points slip away as Liberty escaped with a 27-25 win.  In the final set, the Knights again enjoyed an early lead, but once momentum swung to the visitors, Liberty rode that to a comfortable 25-15 win.
 
Overall, Liberty led the Knights in pretty much every statistical category save total digs, where Bellarmine managed 57 to Liberty's 55. The Flames owned a 62-42 advantage in kills while outhitting the Knights .216 to .079 for the match.
 
Individually, Stamatiou was effective in both the front and back rows for the Knights, leading the team with 10 kills and 11 digs and added a pair of service aces.   For the players celebrating senior night, Wilson registered 10 digs; Oetting had two kills, two solo blocks and two assisted blocks; and Salameh contributed two assisted blocks and came up with a dig. (O'Toole did not play due to injury.)
 
Bellarmine concludes the regular season with a two-game homestand against Lipscomb next weekend March 19 and 20 at 7 p.m. both nights. Following the Lipscomb series, Bellarmine travels to Kennesaw, Georgia for its first appearance in the ASUN Conference Volleyball Tournament starting on March 27.
 
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