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Score: Kennesaw State 3, Bellarmine 0, (25-21, 25-16, 25-16)
Records: Kennesaw State (3-0, 3-0), Bellarmine (1-6, 0-3)
Key Players: Lauren Chastang (16 kills, 4 blks, 4 digs), Emma Schurfranz (12 kills, 3 blks, .526 atk pct.), Dani Ballou (7 kills, 3 blks), Jessie Cohen (37 assts, 5 digs) and Karlee Groover (16 digs).
 
THE STORYLINE: 
The Kennesaw State women's volleyball team kept their momentum rolling against Bellarmine with a straight set sweep (25-21, 25-16, 25-16) in its home-opener Saturday afternoon. The Owls held Bellarmine to -.030 hitting logging 12 blocks as Claire Parsons, Katie Crocker, Lauren Chastang and Emma Schurfranz recorded four a piece.

SCHUNZEL QUOTES:
On the Owls' win…
"Really happy with the first two sets. We played clean and I think we were on defensively with what we wanted to do. Just happy with our group's effort, our focus and our passion for competing. The third set, not as happy simply because I thought we came down a little bit to the level that Bellarmine was playing today and obviously we have to sustain as high of a level as we can play. So tomorrow we'll need to come out and find a way to play at that level for three sets, but overall good day."
 
On the play of the middles…
"We have a true freshman there in Claire Parsons who is learning everyday and getting better. She is going to be awesome and is just a great kid and is so much fun to be around and watch her grow. And then Katie Crocker has come in because of COVID issues the last few weeks and because of injuries to other people and we haven't missed a beat. Crocker does what Crocker does, she is a really smart player, a great competitor and probably the best natural blocker that we have. She is doing a great job."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Owls found themselves trailing early in the first set as Bellarmine jumped out to a 9-5 lead. After pulling it back to within one following a quick 3-0 swing, KSU took control ripping off an 8-0 run, featuring four kills from Emma Schurfranz and two from Lauren Chastang, to take a 17-12 lead. The Owls pushed their lead to as high as seven, 22-15, following a dual block by Dani Ballou and Jessie Cohen before the Knights bounced back with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to two, 22-20. Undeterred, KSU recorded three of the final four points as a kill from Ballou gave the Owls a 25-21 set victory.
 
It was all Owls to open the second set as KSU raced out to a 16-5 advantage following an 8-1 run capped off by another combo block this time from Chastang and Katie Crocker. The Knights cut into the lead behind a 4-0 run, 19-12, but the Owls did not let up, cruising to a 25-16 set victory. KSU hit .370 in the set, committing only three errors.
 
The third set started off as a back-and-forth affair tied 5-5 before a kill from Jessie Cohen opened a 7-1 swing to give KSU the edge 11-6. Bellarmine responded with a 4-0 run to cut the lead to one, but the Owls had an answer of their own going on another 7-1 run to push their lead back to seven, 18-11. After a similar run put the Owls on the doorstep leading 22-12, Bellarmine attempted to fight back trading points, but it would be too little too late as KSU held on to win the set 25-16 and earn the sweep.

NOTES
- Both Emma Schurfranz and Katie Crocker have recorded at least four blocks in all three matches this season.
- Emma Schurfranz finished with a team-high .526 hitting percentage, her second straight game hitting .500 or better.
- KSU recorded a season-high 12 blocks, a mark that ranks third all-time for a three-set match.
- Karlee Groover logged a season-high 16 digs.

UP NEXT
The Owls take on Bellarmine for the fourth straight match Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. to close out their homestand.