NASHVILLE -  Lipscomb Volleyball fought off a scrappy Bellarmine club for a 3-1 (25-20, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20) decision at Allen Arena Saturday night. The win extends the Bisons' win streak to eight straight and their overall record to 11-5, 6-0 in ASUN competition. LUV continues their dominance over Bellarmine, improving to 9-0 all-time, dating back to the 2021 season.

Courtney Jones led Lipscomb as she tallied 20 kills after a 19 kill outing against EKU, while compiling 13 digs, the first double-double of her career. Meg Mersman had another impressive performance after being recognized nationally for her play against EKU last night, ending with 17 kills and a block. 

As a unit, the Bisons hit at a .379 percent clip against the Knights, their third-highest mark of the season and second-most during conference play. Bellarmine made Lipscomb earn every point, but the Bisons' defense held strong, digging 45 balls with four blocks. Sophia Hudepohl added 55 assists on the night, tied for her second-highest total this season. 

Lipscomb hit the ball well in set one, finishing with 17 kills and hitting an even .500. Bellarmine found a way to keep themselves in it, but the Bisons pulled away late with some big plays down the stretch. They scored the last three after a late timeout, with Meg Mersman recording two of the three on a solo block and kill in the last sequence. 

The back line made incredible efforts in set two and throughout the match, helping the Bisons earn some points with their relentless attack, giving their steady hitters extra chances to swing. It was a back-and-forth set, with each team trading blows. Bellarmine reached within a score (15-14), but Lipscomb jumped back up four. However, the Knight fought back to tie the match at 21. With a 22-22 score, Lipscomb got the points late when it mattered most to win 25-23. 

Bellarmine flipped the script and took an early edge in the third frame. The Knights made well played moments at the net and brought some tons of energy after two close sets that didn't go their way. LUV managed to chop their six-point deficit in half, forcing a Bellarmine timeout. Those points came on a kill from Mischler and two mistakes on attack errors from the Knights. Unfortunately, Bellarmine was able to hold on to their lead to win the third set and live to fight another round. They ended the set, hitting .481, their highest of the match. 

The Bisons regrouped in set four to take down Bellarmine 3-1. Lipscomb answered the call and forced the issues, putting forth their best set of the night. They hit a match-high .533 with 18 kills and only two attack errors while holding a motivated Bellarmine squad to their lowest percentage of the night at .182. 

The win marks the Bisons' longest winning streak since the 2020 season, where Coach Rosenthal's bunch won 11 straight en route to an ASUN Championship title and an NCAA Tournament bid. The victory keeps them tied for first in the ASUN standings with FGCU, who also holds a 6-0 record in conference action. The Eagles and Bisons are set to square off in a much anticipated matchup next Saturday in Fort Myers, Florida. 

BRANDON ROSENTHAL & #2 COURTNEY JONES POSTGAME: 

Up Next:
Lipscomb will travel to Florida for two matches next weekend, the first being against Stetson on Friday, Oct. 13, at 5 p.m. CT. The Bisons will then battle FGCU on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 5 p.m. CT. Both matches will be aired on ESPN+. For more coverage of Lipscomb Volleyball, follow LUV on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram @lipscombvball.