JACKSONVILLE, Ala.—In a homecoming for Bellarmine Coach Rick Nold, the host Jacksonville State Gamecocks were too hospitable to their former coach on the scoreboard Saturday evening, sweeping the Knights 3-0 in an ASUN Conference match.
 
Nold, who was the head coach at JSU for nine seasons beginning in 2002, returned to his old stomping ground with a Bellarmine squad that was forced to play short-handed due to recent injuries, and the Knights simply couldn't match the intensity of the Gamecocks, who came into the match with the best overall record (17-3) in the league.
 
Bellarmine kept within striking distance in the first set, falling 25-20, but JSU posted double-digit wins in closing out the match with scores of 25-13 and 25-15 in sets two and three.

"We just didn't have the energy we needed against a strong JSU team," Nold said. "I love this group, ad we will get back to work and be ready for EKU."
 
Jacksonville State, which owns the league's best hitting percentage, actually improved on that figure in today's match with a sizzling .360 attack percentage.  The Gamecocks opened with a .273 hitting percentage in set one, then steadily improved in sets two and three, swinging at a .444 clip in the final frame.
 
Zoe Gonzales led a trio of JSU hitters with double-digit kills with 11 while setter Claire Ochs dished out 32 assists for Jacksonville State, which improved to 18-3 and 6-2 in ASUN play. 
 
Bellarmine setter Macie Garrison, who was having her own homecoming, notched her fourth double-double of the year.  The junior from Sellersburg, Indiana, who played for JSU the previous two years, registered 20 assists and a team-high 10 digs while adding five kills against the Gamecocks. 
 
Gabby Brissett led the Knights in kills for the second match in row, totaling nine today after amassing 11 in last night's match.
 
Next up for the Knights (8-12, 2-6 ASUN) are back-to-back matches against Eastern Kentucky.  Bellarmine will travel to Richmond for a 6 p.m. contest on Friday before hosting Colonels at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23.
 
SCHEDULE NOTE:  The Bellarmine schedule originally contained a non-conference match slated on Tuesday, Oct. 18 against Chicago State, but that contest has been canceled.