DeLAND, Fla.—The Bellarmine volleyball team fell in straight sets to the homestanding Stetson Hatters on Friday night in an ASUN Conference match in the Edmunds Center.
 
Stetson made a strong opening statement in rolling to a 25-15 set one victory behind a very efficient offense that posted a .441 hitting percentage.  The visiting Knights were able to slow the Hatter attack in final two sets, but Bellarmine never found its rhythm offensively as Stetson closed the match with 25-20, 25-22 victories.
 
In the end, the Knights simply couldn't find a way to stop Stetson outside hitters Elena Djokovic and Annabelle Standish, who combined for 31 kills with just four attack errors between them. That duo helped the Hatters to a team attack percentage of .316 while the Knights finished at .185.
 
Stetson also got the better of the Knights in the service game.  The Hatters surrendered just one ace to the Bellarmine service game while collecting five aces of their own.  Each team committed five service errors.
 
Jayme Scott paced the Bellarmine offense with 12 kills while hitting .345, and Hannah Brown added eight kills with a .350 attack percentage.  Emily Ernst was the leading defender with 10 digs, and Gabby Brissett recorded three assisted blocks for BU. 
 
The Knights (10-15, 4-9 ASUN) return to action tomorrow night at 6 p.m. when they'll face the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast University, who improved to 20-6, 10-3 ASUN with a sweep of Eastern Kentucky tonight.

"I've been really proud throughout this season with how we've responded to challenges," said Bellarmine Coach Rick Nold.  "We're in a tough stretch right now, but I'm excited to see us fight through these next two weeks and grow as a program."
 
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