Sarah Mitchell recorded 20 kills and hit .356 but the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team lost to visiting Bellarmine University, 3-2, on Friday at McBrayer Arena.
EKU won the first two sets before the Knights won the final three. Bellarmine took the match by scores of 15-25, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 and 15-12.
The teams will meet again on Sunday in Louisville at 1 p.m. The match will air live on ESPN+.
Mitchell made just four errors in 45 attacks and also contributed 16 digs. Josie Schmitendorf had a team-high 32 digs. Chloe Mason recorded 27 assists, including the 2,000th of her career.
Eastern Kentucky (12-11, 3-6 ASUN) scored five of the first six points of the match. The Colonels went up 8-4 on an ace from Miya Carmichael. Mitchell’s kill made it 18-12. A kill from Carson Ledford and a Bellarmine error ended the first set, 25-15.
The Colonels also jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the second set. Bellarmine errors gave the home team an 8-2 advantage and a 10-3 edge. EKU went in front 14-7 on a kill from Molly Michalak. After taking a 16-9 lead on a kill from Mitchell, the Knights responded with a 7-2 run to get within two. Jayme Scott’s kill made it 18-16. Katie McKune’s kill extended the margin back to four, 21-17, and Mitchell’s kill ended the set, 25-20.
EKU broke an 11-11 tie in the third set with a 4-1 run. Mitchell’s kill made it 15-12. Bellarmine answered by scoring five straight to take a 17-15 lead. However, the Colonels responded with a 5-0 run of their own to retake the lead 20-17. Bellarmine scored three straight to tie and then took a 22-21 lead on a kill from Bailey Venard. Gabby Brissett’s kill ended the set and kept the match alive.
Bellarmine (9-12, 3-6 ASUN) scored three of the first four points in the fourth and never trailed on its way to tying the match at 2-2. Brissett made it 15-11 with a kill. Kylie VanHoy’s kill and an Eastern Kentucky error ended the set.
The Colonels jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the fifth and led 9-5 after an ace from Carmichael. The Knights responded with a 6-1 run to go up one. Back-to-back kills from Brissett capped the run and made it 11-10. Brissett broke a 12-12 tie with a kill and after an EKU error she finished off the match with another kill.
Venard led all players with 24 kills. Brissett had 11. Jayda Harris recorded eight blocks for Bellarmine.
Eastern Kentucky out-hit the Knights .231 to .171, but Bellarmine finished with nine more kills and one more block.
Kevin Britton
Associate Director of EKUSports Communications