JACKSONVILLE – For the second time in as many days, the Jacksonville State volleyball team pieced together a crucial five-set victory, downing preseason conference favorite Belmont to complete the weekend sweep of the league's Nashville-based squads.
 
Jax State (16-8, 3-3 Ohio Valley) remains undefeated at home in 2017 (7-0) and pulls back to .500 in the league standings after a tough start to the conference season. Belmont fell to 4-2 in the OVC and out of a tie for first-place.
 
Senior Charis Ludtke had 16 kills to lead a trio of Gamecocks with double-digit put-aways joined by Allyson Zuhlke (12) and Mackenzie Rombach with 12. Sophomore Kaylee Frear added eight kills and matched a team-best with five blocks. A day after 34 assists against Tennessee State, senior Jennifer Hart dished 31 versus the Bruins.
 
The Gamecocks won the blocking battle, 11-9, and dug 74 balls as a team led by Hart's 20 and Hannah Kirk with 14. Defensive efforts among the rotating back row in Ashley Clingan, Rachel Perucki, Madison Cooler and Kaylie Milton were key in the win as the Gamecocks held a strong Bruin attack in check all afternoon.
 
"I'm just really proud of how hard the girls played today," said head coach Terry Gamble. "Hannah (Kirk) really did well, and the whole team just made plays when we needed them. It was a big win for us."
 
The teams exchanged similar opening sets as BU won the first (25-18) and JSU took the second (25-19) to even the match going into the third set. JSU weathered a 10-1 run in the third as Belmont came from behind for the 14-10 advantage. The Gamecocks fought back to even the set at 16, before pulling out to a 20-17 lead late. Once securing the third, JSU looked to finish things in the fourth, but a veteran Belmont squad wouldn't go lightly. JSU trailed since an early 3-3 tie, but pulled within one at 21-20, before the Bruins went on a 4-0 run to send the match to a decisive fifth frame.
 
The fifth didn't begin the way the Gamecocks planned as JSU trailed 8-4 at the changeover. A critical kill by Cooler sparked JSU's final rally. Ludtke then recorded five late kills to vault the red and white to match-point where Zuhlke sent the last ball home for the second straight day.
 
The Bruins were led by Arianna Person's 18 kills. Alexa Nichols pitched in 12 kills and a team high four blocks, while Maggie Mullins finished with 29 assists after becoming the primary setter midway through the action.
 
JSU will travel to Huntsville on Tuesday to face Alabama A&M for the final non-conference matchip of the season, before hosting Murray State and Austin Peay next weekend.