PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- It just wasn't meant to be for the University of Pikeville volleyball team as it dropped two 25-23 sets en route to a 3-1 loss to Shawnee State on Tuesday at the UPIKE Gym.
The Bears had a 22-21 lead late in the opening set, but were aced and had back-to-back errors to end up losing by two. After falling behind 4-0 to start the second set, UPIKE went on a 10-3 to take the lead and hold on for a 28-26 win on a kill from Sydney Hall.
After tying the match at one set each, the third frame went a lot like the first as the Bears took a 20-18 lead on a kill from Haley Esquivel and block from Hall and Cassidy Tackett. But the Bears of Shawnee State bounced back, outscoring UPIKE 5-1 down the stretch while ending it on a kill from Hayley Carle, followed by an error from UPIKE's Chelsea Staples.
UPIKE simply ran out of gas in the fourth set and Shawnee State took advantage, at one point going on a 14-0 run to turn a 6-4 deficit into a 17-6 lead. Pikeville would score just six more points in the match as SSU posted an ace from Madison Smith and kill from Paige Zelich to end it.
Pikeville had a good day on the attack, outhitting SSU .241 to .223 as a team, but was undone by 16 service errors compared to just four from Shawnee State. UPIKE even had a better day at the net with a 15-12 advantage in blocks, but trailed in total digs 54-40.
Hall finished with a match-high 16 kills and Staples chipped in with 13, while Sydney Morris dished out a match-best 44 assists, Caitlynn Pfaadt picked up 12 digs and Staples also added five blocks. SSU's Christina Shelton was its big hitter with 14 kills, three digs and a pair of blocks.
UPIKE is set to play two matches on Saturday, taking on IU-Southeast at 11 a.m. ET, followed by Cincinnati Christian at 1 p.m. Both matches are being played in Cincinnati.
