CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The host Queens University Royals protected their home turf on senior day by getting past the Bellarmine Knights 3-1 on Friday afternoon in an ASUN Conference match at the Levine Center.
After dropping the first two sets (23-25, 16-25), the Knights mounted a comeback with a 25-22 win in the third. Bellarmine looked as if it would force a fifth set, but the Knights' offense stalled coming down the stretch as Queens closed out the fourth frame by scoring the final five points and claiming the match with a 25-22 win.
"We just didn't come out with the energy and fire we need to play Bellarmine volleyball," said Bellarmine Coach
Rick Nold. "We have to move past it and come out Sunday and send these seniors off with a great memory to finish their careers."
Statistically, Bellarmine owned advantages in both kills (54-49) and digs (76-64), but Queens more than made up for it by making fewer attack errors (16-31) and out-blocking the Knights (9-4).
Three different Knights reached double digits in kills and digs.
Jayme Scott posted a match-high 15 kills with
Bailey Venard adding 14 and
Hannah Brown registering 10. Defensively,
Anna Lococo was the match leader with 20 digs while
Carissa Reyes established her Bellarmine-high with 14 digs and freshman
Morgan Caba added 10.
The host Royals (7-21, 2-13 ASUN) got 14 kills from Victoria Wood to pace their offense, while Kayla McDuffie and Jessie George led their defensive effort with five blocks and 15 digs respectively.
Bellarmine (10-17, 4-11 ASUN) closes its 2022 campaign on Sunday when it hosts Liberty at 1 p.m. The Knights will honor their six seniors (
Emily Arnold,
Hannah Brown,
Sydney Colvin,
Emily Ernst,
Carissa Reyes and
Jayme Scott) with pre-match recognitions.
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