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Score: Kennesaw State 3, Bellarmine 1, (25-13, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20)
Records: Kennesaw State (4-0, 4-0), Bellarmine (1-7, 0-4)
Key Players: Emma Schurfranz (17 kills, 5 blks), Lauren Chastang (15 kills, 8 digs), Claire Parsons (14 kills, 4 blks, 3 digs), Dani Ballou (9 kills, 2 blks), Jessie Cohen (52 assts, 5 digs) and Bri Becerra (12 digs, 2 aces).
 
THE STORYLINE: 
The Kennesaw State women's volleyball team closed out the weekend with its fourth straight win over Bellarmine Sunday afternoon, battling the Knights to a four-set victory (25-13, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20) in the Convocation Center.

SCHUNZEL QUOTES:
On today's win…
"Proud of our team because playing a team four times is exhausting and credit to Bellarmine because this is probably the best that they've played from start to finish in a match of the four and that's hard to do on the fourth try. But [Head Coach Jenni Grzebin] is doing a great job. I think we continue to grow and learn. We have players who are growing each match and figuring out how to be successful and think their way through a match. I'm just proud, we put up good numbers and found ways to win sets. There are always things we need to get better at, but overall we're 4-0 and looking forward to moving on and playing somebody different."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Both teams traded points to open the match with KSU holding on to a slim 11-10 lead midway through the set. The Owls finally pulled away as a kill form Claire Parsons opened an 8-0 run to give KSU a 19-10 lead. Parsons recorded two kills and two blocks during the Owls' run. KSU kept its foot on the gas, outscoring Bellarmine 6-3 down the stretch to run away with a 25-13 opening set victory. The Owls hit .548 in the first set with Lauren Chastang (6), Parsons (5) and Emma Schurfranz (4) combining for 15 of KSU's 19 kills.
 
Bellarmine buckled down to open the second set jumping out to a 9-4 lead. KSU cut the deficit to one, 12-11, following a 4-0 run capped off by an ace from Bri Becerra, but the Knights were undeterred recording eight of the next 11 points to push their lead to 20-14. The Owls went on to cut the lead to four, but could not string together a run, hitting only .100 in the set, as Bellarmine held on to take the second set 25-20
 
The third set was hotly contested as both teams battled back-and-forth recording eight ties and four lead changes in the set. Trailing 13-12, a quick 4-1 swing gave KSU the edge 16-14. From there, the teams went point-for-point until a kill by Lanie Vantrease and an ace from Parsons opened a quick 3-0 run to put KSU on the doorstep leading 23-19. Bellarmine refused to go away though fighting off two set points to pull within one 24-23. After a timeout, the Owls came out and found Schurfranz for the kill to take the set 25-23.
 
It was a similar story in the fourth set as Bellarmine was on top early 8-6. KSU regained the lead behind a 4-0 run, eventually earning some breathing room, 15-10, behind a similar 4-0 run capped off with back-to-back blocks, one solo from Schurfranz and a dual block by Schurfranz and Parsons. The Owls pushed their lead to as high as seven points, 19-12, behind an ace from Chastang. The Knights eventually chipped away at the lead to pull within three, 23-20, but it was too little too late as KSU notched the final two points to win the set, 25-20, and the match.

NOTES
- Claire Parsons logged a career-high 14 kills, her first match with double-digit kills.
- Emma Schurfranz continued to dominate at the net with a career-high five blocks, her fourth straight match with four or more blocks.
- Bri Becerra logged a season and team-high 12 digs.
- The Owls hit .302 as a team, their second match this year hitting .300 or better.
- Jessie Cohen recorded over 50 assists for the second time this year, falling one shy of her career-high with 52. Her 52 assists is tied for 10th in KSU four-set history.

UP NEXT
The Owls are slated to hit the road to take on Liberty next Friday (Feb. 19) and Saturday (Feb. 20).