MSU Sweeps Belmont For OVC Title; Advance To NCAAs

Saturday, November 22

Racer Arena

7 p.m.

Murray State

26-5

Belmont

19-14

Belmont

Murray State

Photo by: Neal Head

11/22/2014 9:33:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Murray State claimed its first OVC tournament championship since 2003 Saturday with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-22) over Belmont in the title game of the 2014 OVC Championship at Racer Arena in Murray.

In the opening set, the two teams proved why they were the two best in the OVC putting on a show in from of the announced crowd of 1,254. The opening stanza featured 15 separate ties with neither team led by more than two until the score tied the final time at 21-21. At 21 all, Ellie Lorenz took over as server and pushed the Racers to 25 thanks to two Bruin errors and kills by Kristen Besselsen and Taylor Olden.

The second set proved to be just another verse of the same song, as the two teams once again kept pace with each and knotted the score at 15. After Belmont gained a point to pull within one at 17-16, Murray State put its foot on the gas and never let off. Hannah Stultz served the next six points for the Racers, as MSU used an ace and forced Belmont into six errors to end the set on a 10-1 run can and claim a 2-0 match lead with a 25-16 set victory.

In the third set, it was more of the same, with neither team able to sustain a lead for longer than two points. MSU was finally able to put some distance between it and Belmont at 17-13, but the Bruins would not go away. After trailing by four, Belmont went on a 6-2 run to tie the set at 19.

Murray State began closing in its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 11 years, taking a 23-20 lead, but still could not put a scrappy Belmont team away. The Bruins pulled within one at 23-22, but that would be as close as they would get, as Besselsen and Olden ended the match with two straight kills to give MSU its third straight 3-0 win and its second OVC tournament championship.

Olden finished the match with 11 kills, while Besselsen had 10. Scottie Ingram and Lorenz each had 14 digs with Sam Bedard tallying 10 to go along with 31 assists. Following the tournament, Lelm and Besselsen were named to the All-Tournament team, as was Bedard who was also named Most Valuable Player.

The Racers now advance to the 2014 NCAA Division Volleyball Championship with the first and second rounds set take place Dec. 5-6, Dec. 6-7 or Dec. 7-8. The field of 64 teams for the championship will be unveiled live on ESPNU, Sunday November 30 at 7:30 p.m. CST.