FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Bellarmine University volleyball team pushed FGCU further than the Knights ever had before, but ultimately the Eagles prevailed 3-2 in Atlantic Sun Conference play Friday night at Alico Arena.
Bellarmine (8-7, 2-2 ASUN) secured the first set 25-16 and the third set 25-22. When conference leader FGCU (7-7, 4-0) won, it won big, as the Eagles were victorious 25-9 in the second set, 25-15 in the fourth set and 15-4 in the final set.
In six previous meetings between the two teams, Bellarmine had never taken more than a set off FGCU. Although the Knights didn't collect their first-ever win over the Eagles, they did go the distance with the Florida squad for the first time.
Bellarmine hit .320 in the first set and didn't have an attacking error. Sophomore
Abby Julius capped a 4-0 run with a service ace as the Knights raced out to a 9-3 lead. The advantage would balloon to 19-7 after senior
Natalie Bland's kill punctuated an 8-0 run en route to a decisive opening-set win.
In the second set, FGCU scored six straight points in building an 11-4 lead. The advantage swelled to 18-6 as the Eagles evened things up at one set apiece.
The third set proved to be the tightest. After trailing 9-13, Bellarmine captured 10 of the next 12 points, and freshman
Ava Long's service ace extended the lead to 19-15. The Eagles pulled within one at 22-21, but sophomore
Mya White had a pair of kills, including one on set point, as the Knights powered ahead 2-1.
Bellarmine was within 14-17 of FGCU in the fourth set when the Eagles pulled away by scoring seven consecutive points. They never looked back from there, following up by jumping out to a 9-2 lead in the clinching set.
Freshman
Mady Yaden and sophomore
Mary Herman had nine kills apiece, with Herman adding six blocks. Bland registered eight kills, freshman
Maddie Carnes notched 27 assists and junior
Payton Parsons tallied 15 digs.
Five players recorded eight kills or more for FGCU, with three cracking double figures, led by 13 apiece from Julija Grubisic Cabo and Maju Hildebrand.
Bellarmine will play at 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday at Stetson.
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