CENTRAL, S.C. -- Renata Bolado, Emma Youngblood and Zoey Bradford posted double-doubles, but the Belmont Abbey dropped a hard-fought 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-23, 19-25, 15-11) decision to Southern Wesleyan in Conference Carolinas women's volleyball action Friday night. The match was the league opener for the Crusaders.
With the decision, The Abbey falls to 5-3 overall and 0-1 in league play, while the Warriors improve to 4-2, 2-0.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Belmont Abbey finished with 58 kills but hit only .117 for the match. The Crusaders served a season-high 12 aces, topping double figures for the third time this season.
- Renata Bolado led the Crusaders with 20 kills and 19 digs, finishing with 22.5 points.
- Tyler Case contributed 17 kills, while Lola Sultenfuss added 10.
- Youngblood directed the offense with 39 assists, while adding 14 digs.
- Zoey Bradford dished out 10 assists and registered 11 digs..
- Sheridan Young paced the defensive effort with a career-high 23 digs,
- Belmont Abbey opened the match with a strong first set, hitting .130 and overcoming a late Southern Wesleyan push to take the frame, 25-23.
- Southern Wesleyan responded in the second and third sets tom move ahead but Belmont Abbey hit .204 in the fourth to force the decider.
- The fifth set was tight, with The Abbey rallying from an 8-5 deficit to tie the score at 9-9 and then taking a 10-9 lead. Southern Wesleyan answered with six of the final seven points to close out the match, 15-11.
- Bolado was particularly effective in the deciding set, recording five kills.
UP NEXT
- After eight straight matches on the road to start the season, Belmont Abbey plays its home opener tomorrow.
- The Crusaders host Erskine in a 2 p.m. contest at the Wheeler Center.
