Box Score (PDF)

RICHMOND, Ky. – The EKU volleyball team fell to defending Ohio Valley Conference tournament champion Belmont University in five nail-biting sets Saturday afternoon at McBrayer Arena.
 
Belmont won by scores of 23-25, 25-22, 25-20, 18-25 and 15-10.
 
The Bruins entered the match leading the nation with 2.35 service aces per set. However, the Colonels held Belmont to a mere four aces and registered three of their own. EKU was only the third team to take Belmont into five sets this season.
 
After clipping Belmont in the first set, EKU fell behind 12-5 in the second and was unable to recover. But the Colonels came back swinging in the third. The Colonels held a 17-14 lead after a freshman Rachel Woody found sophomore Cassie Knutson for the score. A late Bruins' run helped Belmont take a 2-1 lead as Belmont outscored the Colonels 11-3 to end the set.
 
In the fourth, a 10-3 run helped EKU extend its lead to 12-6. Belmont closed the gap to four two times but was unable to hang with the swift-hitting Colonels.
 
The Bruins jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the decisive set and never relinquished the lead. After a Belmont service mishap, the tempo changed bolstering Eastern into a 6-3 run. The Colonels narrowed the Bruins' lead to two, 13-11, but the Colonels could not get closer.
 
Junior Celina Sanks finished with a team-high 15 kills for the Colonels. Meanwhile, Woody and junior Nikki Drost both logged double-doubles in the loss. Junior Mallory Maxwell chipped in a match-high 26 digs on the day.
 
EKU will be back in action on Oct. 14 as it travels Eastern Illinois University. The game is slated to begin at 8:00 p.m. ET.