LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After letting a relatively comfortable lead slip away late, the Bellarmine University volleyball team probably felt as if it gave away the first set Saturday to North Florida.
The Knights' generosity would end there.
Bellarmine regrouped from the disappointing conclusion to the opening set by powering to wins in the next three frames as the Knights posted a 3-1 victory over the Ospreys in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
Bellarmine (8-6, 2-1 ASUN) had remarkable balance. Five players racked up nine kills or more. Four piled up 10 digs or more. Six collected as least one block against the Ospreys (8-7, 1-2). The Knights hit .265 to the .192 clip of UNF and cracked 11 service aces.
Sophomore
Mya White tied a match high with 14 kills. Sophomore
Mary Herman, who owned the fourth set, supplied 11 kills, a career- and match-best seven service aces and four blocks. Freshman
Maddie Carnes notched her eighth double-double with 10 digs complementing her match-high 43 assists.
Senior
Natalie Bland almost had a double-double (10 digs, nine kills) while sophomore
Mady Yaden smacked 10 kills and sophomore
Abby Julius knocked nine. Junior
Payton Parsons and freshman
Ava Long turned in 11 digs apiece.
Bellarmine appeared on the verge of rolling to victory in the first set after building a 20-14 lead, but North Florida rallied all the way back to tie on set point and ultimately prevailed after a 4-0 set-ending run.
A sense of déjà vu developed in the second set as Bellarmine again landed on set point — at 24-19 — before North Florida rattled off four consecutive points. This time, however, the Knights held off the Ospreys, as UNF was wide on a kill attempt.
A nip-and-tuck third set turned in Bellarmine's favor when Herman capped a 6-0 run with three straight service aces for a 21-16 lead. North Florida twice cut its deficit to two, but the Knights again halted the comeback bid, as back-to-back kills from Julius and Herman sealed the frame.
Herman took over the fourth set. In a span where Bellarmine secured five of six points, she delivered three kills and two service aces, the latter staking the Knights to an 11-6 advantage.
A 5-0 run spiked Bellarmine's lead to 16-8. North Florida got no closer than five the rest of the way as the Knights locked up their second ASUN win in three conference outings.
Bellarmine will continue ASUN play at 6 p.m. (ET) Friday, Oct. 9, at FGCU.
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on X, Instagram and Facebook (@BUKnights).
