Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team defeated Belmont University in straight sets Friday night in Nashville.   
 
The Colonels won 25-21, 25-23 and 25-18.
 
Abby Noll led the way offensively for the Colonels posting a double-double with a match-best 18 kills and 13 digs. Rachel Woody chipped in a double-double of her own with 30 assists and 11 digs. Eastern had 12 blocks and forced Belmont into a .054 hitting percentage on the night.
 
Belmont got off to a quick start in the opening set taking a 5-2 lead after the kill by Mary Catherine Ball. The Colonels answered back though with a 6-2 run of their own to take the 8-7 lead after the kill by Mikayla Logan. The two teams would trade points and Eastern had a 16-15 lead in the opening set, that is when Eastern went on a 4-0 run sparked by Noll to take a 20-15 lead. The Bruins did not go down without a fight though and used a 4-0 run to cut the Colonel lead to 23-21. However, Noll ended the set with back-to-back kills to take the opening set 25-21.  
 
In set two, Belmont again got off to a quick start and jumped out to an early 4-1 lead over the Colonels. EKU answered back with a 3-0 run after a pair of kills by Katelynn Caserma-Kloeble to tie the second set at 4-4. The two teams would trade points again until the Bruins used a 3-0 run to take a 14-10 lead and force a Colonel timeout. Out of the timeout, Eastern used a 5-1 run capped off by back-to-back kills by Noll to tie the set at 15-15. The Bruins took a 23-21 lead late in the set, but Eastern flexed its muscles scoring the last four points of the set to take a 2-0 lead over Belmont.
 
Eastern scored the first eight points of set three and never looked back. The Colonels never trailed and led by as many as 10 points in the set. Eastern scored the last two points of the set to win the set 25-18 and complete the sweep.
 
"I thought we played a consistent game tonight and it was a great road win," Fouch said. "We finally got our bearings back with blocking and this is just something we can keep building off of! Proud of this team!"
 
Catherine Ball led the way for the Bruins posting a team-best 12 kills and seven digs on the night.
 
Eastern continues its Nashville road trip tomorrow night against Tennessee State. First serve against the Tigers is scheduled for 6 p.m.