PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville volleyball team ended a six-match losing streak by knocking off Midway College 3-2 Sunday afternoon in the opening contest of a tri-match.
 
After Bluefield College knocked Midway off 3-0, the Rams swept Pikeville also by a 3-0 score.
 
The Bears return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Knoxville to hook up with Johnson University. First serve is slated for 6 p.m.
 
Bears 3, Eagles 2: With their backs against the wall in the fourth set, the Bears rallied for the 3-2 win over Midway College.
 
Midway, up two sets to one, led 22-18 before the Bears scored the final seven points – six of them off serves by freshman Haley Johnson – to win 25-22. They finished it up with a 15-12 win in the deciding set.
 
Pikeville jumped out to win the opener 25-23before falling 25-14 and 25-20 in the second and third sets.
 
It was a solid match by freshman Chelsea Staples, who had 12 kills and two service aces on offense and three solo blocks on the defensive side.
 
Junior Stephanie Dounseroux had six kills and 13 assists in the win, while sophomore Taylor Watkins had six kills and senior Brittany Hodge added five.
 
Rams 3, Bears 0: Bluefield ran its record to 8-5 on the season with a win over Pikeville.
 
The Rams improved to 2-0 in their first season in the Mid-South with a win by scores of 25-13, 25-17, 25-16.
 
Staples and Hodge paced the Bears on offense with four kills apiece, accounting for eight of the 15 the team recorded. Staples added both service aces for her team, and Dounseroux had eight assists.
 
On defense, Staples again stood out with four solo blocks. Dounseroux had a solo block and an assist.
 
Bluefield's Jasmine Morrow had 12 kills to lead all players. Amber Taylor-Inge added six. Morrow also had two solo blocks and an assist.
 
-UPIKE-