RICHMOND, Ky. – September 20, 2023
The winning streak for the Eastern Kentucky University volleyball team hit 10 straight with a 3-0 victory over Bellarmine University on Wednesday at Baptist Health Arena.
The match was the Atlantic Sun Conference opener for both teams.
The Colonels (11-2, 1-0 ASUN) made only six attack errors in the entire match and posted a .466 hitting percentage. Kambree Lucas led the attack with 13 kills and no errors. She had a .619 attack percentage and also finished with seven digs.
Paige Wagers finished with seven kills, only one error, a .545 attack percentage and three blocks.
EKU began the match by rolling to a 25-8 win in the first set. The Colonels had 15 kills and no attack errors. Three of Bellarmine’s eight points came from service errors by the home team. EKU scored five of the first six points and went in front 9-2 on a kill from AG Vandagriff. Sarah Mitchell’s kill pushed the lead to 10, 14-4. Two kills from Carson Ledford and a Bellarmine error made it 20-5. Chloe Mason’s setter’s dump finished off the first.
The Knights (2-11, 0-1 ASUN) were within two, 15-13, in the second set before the Colonels scored five unanswered to build a 7-point cushion. Mitchell’s ace capped the quick run. A kill from Mitchell gave EKU set-point at 24-17. A Bellarmine attack error on the next series ended the set. The Knights made only two attack errors in the second set, but found only eight kills on their 33 attempts.
The Colonels got off to a quick start again in the third set, scoring seven of the first eight points. EKU went in front 12-4 on an attack error from the Knights. A kill from Wagers and another Bellarmine error made it 23-14. Ledford’s kill finished off the set, 25-16, and the match.
Bailey Venard had a team-best seven kills for Bellarmine.
The Colonels will return to action on Saturday against Kennesaw State at Baptist Health Arena. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
