JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - - In one of the tightest, most pressure-packed matches of the season, Belmont Volleyball fell in four games at Jacksonville, 29-31, 30-27, 28-30, 28-30, Friday night.

The Bruins entered weekend play as one of five Atlantic Sun teams with one conference loss. Stakes were high, as aside from positioning for a regular season conference title, Belmont and Jacksonville were meeting for the first time since BU defeated the Dolphins last November for the Atlantic Sun Championship.

An error-laden start for Belmont enabled the host Dolphins build an early 13-9 lead. Though the Bruins got within 15-16 on a kill from senior Colleen Nilson (McHenry, Ill.), Jacksonville stayed in front and widened the margin to as many as seven points, 24-17.

Belmont closed to 22-24 on Nilson’s serve, and actually got two ties, 26-26 and 29-29 on JU errors. However, consecutive kills from Brittany Lehman and Sara Bendorf gave the Dolphins game one, 31-29.

Game two was more of the same; hotly-contested action with neither side able to break free. Sophomore Jenny Gray (Greenwood, Ind.) led the Bruin attack, as her kill squared the score at 13. After two Nilson aces, another Gray putaway increased the Belmont lead to four, 21-17.

Jacksonville rallied to tie things at 26-26 on a Melissa Merchant kill, before points from junior Cat Mundy (Dallas, Texas) and Nilson gave the Bruins a 30-27 win.

Game three was again tip and tuck. Gray gave the Bruins an early 1-0 lead before Jacksonville seized control. Five straight points on the serve of Katie O’Brien stretched a 14-13 edge into a seemingly comfortable 19-13 lead for the Dolphins.

Untimely service errors plagued much of Belmont’s comeback effort. Nevertheless, senior Jaye Schuler (Lexington, Ill.) and junior Emily Cahill (Lakeside Park, Ky.) helped the Bruins inch closer. Consecutive kills from freshman Kayla Albritton (Gainesville, Fla.) and Cahill got Belmont within 28-29. But as with game one, Lehman provided key offense for Jacksonville to secure the game three win.

The Dolphins led much of game four, enjoying their largest lead at 17-13 on a kill from Aidan Yeager. But behind Nilson’s balanced distribution, Belmont regrouped and went ahead, 21-20, on ace from freshman Megan Clements (Indianapolis, Ind.).

Eight ties would ensue as the two teams exchanged big points. Mundy tied the game at 28-28 with a kill, before Bendorf and Lehman scored to close the match.

Cahill led Belmont with 19 kills and .395 hitting percentage. Gray added 15 kills, 13 digs, and three blocks, while Mundy supplied 13 kills and 12 digs.

Schuler added 10 kills and six blocks.

Bendorf led Jacksonville (12-9, 6-1 A-Sun) with 22 kills and 13 digs.

The Bruins (14-7, 4-2 A-Sun) return to action Saturday afternoon at North Florida.