Heavy loss in three frames at volleyball’s Battle of the Boulevard

Belmont women’s volleyball fell 0-3 to rivals Lipscomb University in an away match Tuesday.

Although Belmont leads in the all-time Battle of the Boulevard series against Lipscomb, the Bisons have won 14 of the last 15 match-ups and have not dropped to Belmont at home since 2006.

Tuesday’s loss marks the Bruins’ fifth consecutive defeat of the season.

Going into the game, the Bruins sat at 2-4 for the 2021-2022 season while the Bisons came into the game at 1-6. However, Lipscomb opened play with confidence.

In the first set, the Bisons came in hot with a 4-point run, but once Belmont sided out they managed to recoup a 3-4 standing.

Following more back-and-forth possession, Lipscomb ended on top in the first set at 25-17. For Belmont, senior Taylor Floyd stood out with 4 kills and no errors in the set.

“I want to hit every single ball. I don’t care if I take 1,000 swings, I always want to hit and I always want to crush it,” she said.

Floyd’s strong performance exceeded just the first frame, ending the game with 7 kills and only one error on 20 attempts.

In the second set, Lipscomb gained a substantial lead of 19-9, but the Bruins fought back, going on a 10-2 run to cut the opponent’s lead down to a tight 2 points.

But the comeback didn’t last, and Lipscomb went on to close the set 25-20.

Belmont fought hard in the third set, playing neck and neck until Lipscomb closed on an 8-1 run.

One bright spot in Tuesday’s defeat was the return of outside hitter Lauren Walsh, who took to the court after recovering from a bone bruise that left her boot-bound. Despite first game-jitters, Walsh performed well with 7 kills.

“My dad always said, ‘If you’re nervous, you’re doing something right.’ So I’ve learned to see nerves as positive,” said Walsh.

Other notable Bruin performances include the powerful Laura Shoopman with 7 kills, freshman Missy Sterkel with 4 kills and Rachel McBride with 12 digs.

Looking for redemption, Belmont volleyball will continue play on the road at the War Eagle Invitational in Auburn, Alabama, beginning Friday.

With the Bruins’ hoping to turn the tides, matches against Nicholls State University and Florida A&M University will take place Friday, and host Auburn University will battle Belmont Saturday.

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PHOTO: The Bruins scored on the floor at Lipscomb but were eventually aced by the Bisons. Belmont Vision / Grace Miller

This article was written by Grace Miller.

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