LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Locked in and no let up.
On Friday in Knights Hall, there was no messing around from the Bellarmine University volleyball team, as the Knights posted a dominant 3-0 win over Stetson in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
Opening a four-match homestand, Bellarmine (10-9, 4-4 ASUN) rolled to 25-13 victories in each of the first two sets and finished off Stetson (4-15, 0-8) with a 25-20 clincher. The Knights' .390 attack percentage ranked as its third best of the season.
Senior
Natalie Bland piled up a match-high 17 kills behind a scorching .630 attack percentage, which was a career best. Freshman
Mady Yaden pounded 13 kills and senior
Erika Smith supplied 11 while hitting at a .450 clip. Freshman
Maddie Carnes collected 44 assists, junior
Payton Parsons notched 17 digs and sophomore
Abby Julius smacked three service aces, including one on match point.
Bellarmine had a pair of 5-0 runs in the opening set, the latter extending its lead to 16-7. The Knights closed strong by winning six of the last seven points, with Smith sewing up the frame with a steaming spike.
Bellarmine actually fell behind 0-4 in the second set, but the Knights turned the tide with a 7-0 run capped by a Julius kill. Bellarmine rang off six straight points to secure the set and overall finished the frame on a 10-1 run capped by a service ace from freshman
Ava Long.
The third set was tighter, although Bellarmine still led for much of it. A pair of service aces by Julius and a pair of kills by Bland accounted for a 4-0 run that provided the Knights ample breathing room at 17-11. The Hatters rallied to within 18-21, but a pair of Yaden kills, another from Bland and another service ace from Julius shut the door.
Bellarmine will host FGCU at 5 p.m. (ET) Saturday.
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