CARBONDALE, Ill.—In a match that definitely earned the "instant classic" moniker, the Bellarmine Knights volleyball team pulled out an incredible come-from-behind victory over the host Southern Illinois Salukis 3-2 in the final contest of the Salukis Invitational.  Bellarmine claimed the tourney title by  winning the fifth set 27-25 when Ashley Nordmann and Kylie VanHoy combined on a block to secure the victory on the Knights' ninth match point.
 
For Bellarmine to even be in a fifth set took a massive comeback by the Knights. The Salukis took the first two sets 25-23 and 25-21 and actually had a match point at 24-23 in the third set to sweep BU.  However, Jayda Harris came up with a big kill and VanHoy and Bailey Venard followed suit to pull out a 26-24 set three win and extend the match.
 
In the fourth set, again SIU had the upper hand in the late stages, but the Knights turned around a 17-19 deficit to claim a 25-23 victory to force a set five.
 
And what a set five it was.
 
The Knights grabbed the early lead and were in the driver's seat for most the decisive set, but Bellarmine just couldn't seem to put away the Salukis. Although BU secured their first match point at 15-14, SIU reversed the tables by scoring the next two points to earn their second match point of the day.
 
Then, it was Bellarmine's turn to flip the script with two in a row for a match point at 17-16, but SIU reversed it yet again to go up 18-17.  In all, the set featured 12 match points with Bellarmine earning nine of them.
 
"What a match!" said Bellarmine Head Coach Rick Nold. "We showed so much character battling back through some really tough situations.  I couldn't be prouder than I am of this team. They are so fun to coach."
 
Jayme Scott paced the Bellarmine offense with a match-high 26 kills, and although that fell two shy of her career-high, the marathon match produced of number of career highs for other Knights. 
 
Junior libero Anna Lococo set a new personal best with 28 digs, and freshman Gabby Brissett chalked up 13 kills for a new career high.  VanHoy, meanwhile, notched her first career double-double by setting new career highs in assists with 37 and digs with 17.  In addition, Nordmann recorded six assisted blocks and two solo rejections for her collegiate best effort of eight total blocks while adding nine kills--also a career high.
 
Other top performances for the Knights included a season-high 12 digs and a service ace for Emily Ernst, and Harris finished the match with eight kills while hitting .636 and recording three solo blocks and a pair of assisted blocks.
 
The victory evened the Knights season record at 6-6, and it gave BU the Saluki Invitational crown as the Knights finished the event 3-0 after yesterday's wins over Southeast Missouri State and Alabama A&M.
 
Bellarmine returns to action at home on Friday at 6 p.m., when the Knights make their ASUN Conference debut against ASUN Conference newcomer Austin Peay.
 
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