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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Down 2-1 in the match, Belmont rallied to defeat the University of Evansville volleyball team in the final two sets to earn a 3-2 win over the Purple Aces in the final game of the Belmont Invitational at the Curb Event Center.
 
The Aces outhit the Bruins by a .174-.126 final, but Belmont used 14 Arianna Person kills to come back for the win.  Leading the way for the Aces were seniors Ashley Ring and Meaghan Holmes, who recorded 11 assists apiece.  Freshman Genesis Miranda finished with 10.  Another frosh – Grace Carter – led all players with 39 assists.
 
"It was a weekend of learning and seeing different formations from our new team. We were able to improve in specific areas, such as blocking and back row defense. Our offense showed better balance and decision making as the tournament went on," head coach Manolo Concepcion said.  "Now it is a matter of controlling the game from the service line a little better, where too many unforced errors were made in key situations. But thats what is expected from a young team, as serving is the only action in our sport that is not dependant of another, so it creates more pressure on the player to execute with consistency and focus."
 
"The team is in good spirit, and will be ready for our first home game on Tuesday."

Evansville took the early advantage in the first game, going up by a 7-4 score as Tathianna Cordero posted a kill.  The Aces kept that lead until the Bruins' Jessica Vestal posted three service aces in a row to give Belmont an 11-9 lead.
 
Two Bruin errors and another Cordero kill put the lead back in the Aces favor at 12-11 before the squads swapped it several times down the stretch.  Every point from 15-15 through 22-22 was tied up before Belmont took the lead for good at 23-22, finishing off a 25-23 win after forcing a UE error.
 
The Purple Aces have been improving in each match thus far and turned that improvement into a 25-20 triumph in the second frame.  Belmont took the early 7-4 lead once again as five players registered a kill.  Evansville came back to tie it up at 9-9 before Grace Carter posted a kill to give the Aces the lead.
 
Belmont tied it up once more at 12-12, but Evansville proved to be too much, reeling off four tallies in a row on three Bruin errors.  A Kelsi Dean kill got Belmont back within one at 19-18, but the Aces forced four more Bruin errors en route to a 25-20 win.
 
Following the break after the second set, the Aces came out playing their best ball of the season.  Down 3-1, UE posted five out of six points to go up 6-1.  Ashley Ring led the way for the offence at that point before three-straight Aces kills led to a 9-5 advantage.
 
After Belmont came back to take a 13-12 lead, Evansville recorded 13 of the final 15 points to take a 25-15 win.  Over that stretch, Cathy Schreiber and Ring posted two kills.  Ring's final one proved to be the clincher as Grace Carter was credited with the assist.
 
Down 2-1 in the series, Belmont came out firing, taking a 12-5 lead out of the gate.  Brie Lewis posted three kills while Jocelyn Youngdahl and Scarlet Gable each registered two over that span.  Their lead grew to as many as nine points at 20-11 before they clinched the 25-18 win and force a fifth and deciding set.
 
Belmont looked to take control early in the final frame as a Youngdahl kill put the Bruins up 6-2.  Evansville came back with a 7-1 run, forcing six Belmont errors before Ring capped it off with a kill.  The rally was not to be, though, as the Bruins used a match-ending 3-0 run to take a 15-12 win along with the match.
 
Next weekend, the Aces are back on the road as they travel to Kent State for another preseason tournament.  They are slated to take on New Hampshire, Morehead State and the host Golden Flashes.  The first match will be on Friday at noon CT versus Kent State.