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Box Score | Photo Gallery (By Sandy King)

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- The Eastern Illinois volleyball team looked to even their Ohio Valley Conference record in a home match against Belmont. The Panthers battled with the Bruins, but Belmont took the four-set win as EIU fell by scores of 20-25, 25-17, 18-25, 12-25. Eastern Illinois will take a brief break from conference play and travel to their I-70 rival, Indiana State on Tuesday.

With the loss, Eastern Illinois drops to 3-13 on the season and 0-2 in conference matches.

Belmont controlled the tempo early in the first set as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead. Gina Furlin helped the Panthers pull within two points at 10-8 on a service ace. Belmont regained their momentum at took a seven-point lead before Eastern Illinois called a timeout trailing 21-14. The two teams would exchange points down the stretch, but it was Belmont who came away with the first set victory at 25-20.

Katie Sommer gave Eastern Illinois a 5-4 in the second set as she found a hole in the Belmont defense. Taylor Smith and Abby Knight teamed up on a block to give EIU a four-point lead at 14-10. The Panthers would extend their lead as a Smith ace forced Belmont into a timeout with the score at 17-12. EIU would not let the timeout break their rhythm as they ended the set on a Knight kill and a Belmont error to even the score at 1-1 after taking the second game 25-17.

The two squads would battle back-and-forth to begin the third set as the score would become tied on five different occasions before a Furlin ace knotted the set at 11-11. Eastern Illinois moved ahead 14-12 on a Smith kill, but Belmont battled right back. A kill by Belmont's Arianna Person began a 5-0 run for the Bruins as they overtook the lead at 17-14. The Panthers cut the Belmont lead to two points, but the Bruins used another five-point run to win the third set 25-18.

Belmont carried the momentum into the fourth set as the Bruins found themselves ahead 8-4 before an Eastern Illinois timeout. The Panthers were unable to slow the Bruins down as Belmont extended their lead to 15-8 before another EIU timeout. Belmont would use a pair of four-point runs towards the end of the set, including the final four-points in the game and won 25-12.

Maria Brown led the Eastern Illinois offense as she finished the match with eight kills. Allie Hueston and Knight finished with four total blocks each. Brown led EIU in digs as she finished with 11. Josie Winner and Lindsey Powers added 10 digs each.