Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – With four conference matches remaining in the 2014 season, Eastern Kentucky moved into a second place tie after beating Belmont 3-0 on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.
 
The Colonels (19-11, 9-3 OVC) entered the match one game behind the second place Bruins (13-13, 9-3 OVC).  The teams are now tied for second but Eastern Kentucky holds the season tie breaker by virtue of its sweep over Belmont.
 
Set scores were 25-15, 25-18 and 27-25.
 
Eastern jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the opening set and never looked back on its way to a 10-point win.  The Colonels led by only one, 17-16, in the second set after a kill by Alex Martin.  However, the home team scored five of the next six to build a five-point cushion.  A kill by Rachel Vick ended the run and put EKU on top 22-17.  A kill by Alexis Plagens and a service ace from Vick ended the set, 25-18.
 
The third set was tied 16 times.  Eastern Kentucky led 24-22 after a kill by Abbey Cvelbar but the Bruins scored the next two to tie.  Belmont tied it again, 25-25, after a Colonel attack error.  A Belmont service error gave the Colonels their final match-point.  Plagens served up an ace on the next series to end the set, 27-25, and the match.
 
Plagens had a match-best 18 kills for EKU.  Vick finished with 10 kills and four blocks.  Cvelbar had 30 assists, seven kills, only one error and 10 digs.  Dena Ott led all players with 15 digs.
 
Martin contributed at team-best 10 kills for the Bruins. 
 
Eastern had six more kills (44-38) and six fewer errors.  The Colonels hit .267 for the match compared to .154 for Belmont.  Both teams had four service aces but the Bruins committed 10 service errors compared to only two for Eastern Kentucky.
 
EKU takes to the road next weekend to face Eastern Illinois on Friday and Southern Illinois Edwardsville on Saturday.  Friday's match against the panthers is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.