LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Bellarmine volleyball team returns to Knights Hall on Friday and Saturday for ASUN Conference matches against Liberty and Queens University of Charlotte. Match times are 5 p.m. on Friday and 2 p.m. on Saturday. 
 
Last weekend, the Knights split decisions at North Alabama and Central Arkansas to move to 7-9 overall and 1-3 in league play.
 
Bellarmine will enter the weekend boasting the ASUN's top hitter with senior Jayme Scott sitting atop the league's statistical standings in both kills per set (4.19) and total kills (264).  Meanwhile, sophomore middle blocker Jayda Harris has climbed into the conference's No. 2 spot for hitting percentage with her .368 average. 
 
Setter Emily Arnold is coming off a strong week for the Knights, including a career-best 62 assists against North Alabama.  In that match, she also eclipsed the 3,000-assist mark in her career. The Louisville senior currently ranks sixth in the ASUN in assists per set at 9.4. 
 
Defensively, Bellarmine libero Anna Lococo continues to rank among the ASUN's best. Her 271 digs are second-most in the conference and her 4.3 digs per set average is fourth best in the league.
 
Friday's opponent, Liberty, enters the Bellarmine match in a three-way tie for second in the ASUN standings with a 3-1 league record.  The Flames (10-6 overall) also feature a number of the league's best performers on the year.
 
Trinity Watts, a junior right side hitter, is usually known for her offensive prowess, but this week she's the reigning ASUN Defensive Player of the Week after averaging two blocks a set in Liberty's matches against Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State.  Offensively, she is currently fifth in the league with her 3.48 kills per set average and is third in overall kills with 209.
 
Another top front line player for Liberty is 6-3 middle blocker Lydia Burts, who leads the ASUN in blocks per set with a 1.36 average.  She also is an effective hitter, ranking fifth in the league with a .343 hitting percentage. 
 
Liberty setter Delaney Dilfer may look familiar to Bellarmine fans since she transferred from conference rival Lipscomb.  Although she's wearing a different uniform this season, Dilfer is still putting up great assist numbers.  She ranks second in the league with 10.70 assists per set after finishing the 2021 season third in the league at Lipscomb.
 
On Saturday, Bellarmine will entertain the Queens Royals for the first time in program history.  Queens is making its debut in the ASUN this season as the Charlotte, North Carolina school makes the transition from Division II.   
 
The Royals and Knights met in the DII ranks with Bellarmine earning a 3-0 victory in a 1998 neutral site match.  This year, Queens is off to 5-12 start, but the Royals are still looking for their first ASUN win with an 0-4 mark in league play thus far. 
 
Alleigh Johnson, a 5-9 right side hitter, is the top offensive threat for the Royals, averaging just over three kills per set. The Queens offense is run through two setters, Kendall Buish and Jaianna Bouarouy, who average 5.25 and 4.73 assists per set respectively. 
 
Defensively for the Royals, Hallie Brown and Anna Law are the top blockers, both with 31 heading into the weekend's play. Jesse George is the team's leader in digs with 225 while Jordyn Johnson is a close second with 179.
 
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