FLORENCE, Al. – The Bellarmine University volleyball team gave their best effort in a rally attempt but ultimately came up short, losing the second and final game of its road trip to North Alabama 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
With the loss, Bellarmine moves to 4-10 on the season, 1-3 in ASUN action while the win improves North Alabama to 9-8 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
In what was a back-and-forth match from start to finish, the Lions used an 8-2 run after a 17-17 tie to claim the first set 25-19. The Knights bounced back in the second set, staying tough throughout the set before charging ahead with a late 6-0 run to earn a 25-21 set two victory and even the match 1-1. The third set shared the same ferocity as the first two as Bellarmine and North Alabama fought for position. Finding themselves down 17-11, the Knights rallied, storming back to tie the stanza 19-19, using a 4-0 run to finally take a 21-20 lead. North Alabama crushed the rally after a late timeout, taking the set 25-23 thanks to a final 4-0 run. The fourth and final set was an absolute slug fest. Down once again, Bellarmine continued to show its mettle with another rally, tying the game 15-15. From there, the match went back-and-forth well past the 25-point mark as neither team was able to gain an edge. The game was finally decided on a North Alabama challenge that overturned a Bellarmine point to give the Lions a 30-28 set win and 3-1 match victory.
Sophomore
Natalie Bland and fifth-year senior
Addison Foote turned in the Bellarmine high in kills, notching 13 apiece. Bland added a career-high tying 16 digs to record her second double-double of the weekend and fourth in five games while Foote contributed a season-high three blocks. Junior
Kylie Van Hoy was all over the court for the Knights, tallying 43 assists, 13 digs, five blocks, four kills and an ace. The double-double is her second of the weekend and team-leading seventh of the season while her five blocks tie a career-high. Sophomore
Erika Smith also recorded five blocks in the match, setting a new career-high, while adding nine kills, two digs and an assist. Senior
Anna Purichia also tallied nine kills on the day in addition to three blocks and a dig. Bellarmine also saw double-digit performances in the digs column from freshman
Payton Parsons, junior
Tessa Nauert and grad student
Mara Perry who recorded 13, 18 and 22, respectively. Nauert's 18 digs is a new career-high while Perry's 22 was just one shy of tying her career-high mark.
As a team, the Knights set new season-high marks in digs with 89, total blocks with 11.0 and block assists with 18.
Up next, Bellarmine will continue its ASUN schedule with a two-match homestand. The Knights will kick off the week against Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday, October 9 before hosting Stetson on Sunday, Oct. 12 at Knights Hall.
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