Racers Push Belmont but Fall 3-1 in Nashville - Murray State University Athletics

Thursday, October 22

Nashville, Tenn.

6 p.m.

Murray State

3-18,1-8MVC

Belmont

11-9,8-1MVC

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Murray St.	14	25	11	23	1
Belmont	25	20	25	25	3

10/22/2026 11:27:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

Murray State fell to Belmont 3-1 Thursday night at the Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tenn.

The Racers (3-18, 1-8 MVC) hung tough with a Belmont (11-9, 8-1 MVC) team that has won by sweep in six of its last seven matches. Murray State dropped the first set 14-25, took the second 25-20, then fell 11-25 and 23-25.

The Racers pushed the Bruins to the brink in the final set, but the night started very differently. Belmont blitzed Murray State out of the gate, scoring seven of the match's first eight points, led by three early kills from Brenna Kauffeld. The Racers answered with three straight kills from Lily Evans to cut the deficit to 7-5, but a 7-2 Bruin run put the set away, and Murray State fell 14-25. Evans led the Racers with four kills on eight attempts in the set.

As in the first set, one team took control early, but this time it was the Navy and Gold, who won five of the first seven points. Teodora Cickovic led the way with a block and a kill, the first of her career. Filling in for middle blocker Maezi Snyder, who did not make the trip due to illness, the freshman stepped up with three of the Racers' 10 blocks on the night. Murray State built a 11-5 lead, but Belmont scored four straight to tie it at 14. Alexa Watts' kill put the Racers back ahead 15-14 at the media timeout, and Murray State came out of the break firing, scoring the next four points and holding on to win the set 25-20.

The second set was the Racers' best defensive set of the season. They posted a season-high seven blocks and held Belmont to a -.028 hitting percentage. Anne Makowski and Watts led the offense with three kills apiece, while Evans was credited with five block assists in the set.

Belmont's offense responded in the third set with its best hitting set of the match at .370, with Emily Warmenhoven and Erin McMullen each recording three kills. The Bruins jumped out to a 10-1 lead and never looked back, while Murray State was held to -.097 hitting with 10 attack errors in a 25-11 loss.

After their worst set both offensively and defensively, Murray State needed to rally to push Belmont to a fifth set for the first time since Sept. 6. The fourth set was the closest of the night, featuring four ties as the Racers battled back from a 14-8 deficit with three separate runs of three straight points. An Evans kill capped the run that tied the set at 19, but the Bruins answered with three straight points to go up 22-19. Trailing 23-20, Murray State won a challenge and narrowed the deficit to 23-22, then stayed alive at 24-23 when a Belmont challenge was denied, before the Bruins closed it out on the next rally, 25-23. Watts and Makowski each finished with four kills in the set.

Watts finished with a match-high 13 kills and 15 points, and Makowski added 11 kills. Evans hit .364 with nine kills and six blocks (one solo, five assists). Paige Brock dished out 30 assists with 13 digs, Ada Tamturk had 11 digs and libero Sam Nelson handled 28 serve receptions without an error. Ceren Durak served a team-high four aces.

Murray State will head to Carbondale, Ill. Saturday to take on SIU at 5 p.m. CT.