PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville volleyball team has little trouble putting away Alice Lloyd and Johnson (Tenn.) on Saturday, tallying a pair of 3-0 shutouts during a tri-match at UPIKE Gym.
The wins give the Bears a three-match winning streak, improving their record to 12-9 overall leading up to a match at Berea on Tuesday before welcoming 12th-ranked Lindsey Wilson to Pikeville on Thursday.
Serving, an area UPIKE has excelled at all season, was once again a strongpoint on Saturday as it connected on a season-high 17 aces against Johnson, including a season-best seven individual aces from Chelsea Staples. Sydney Hall was the only player to reach double figures in kills in the win with 10 as the Bears hit .260 as a team.
Against Alice Lloyd it was Hall doing the bulk of the damage again with seven kills, followed by Taylor Watkins and Caitlynn Pfaadt with six. Pfaadt also recorded a team-high three aces and 17 digs, which were the fourth most defended all season. UPIKE hit slightly better as a team against Alice Lloyd with a .267 mark, led by Cassidy Tackett at .600 after going 3-for-5 without an error.
Audri Ray led the team with two solo blocks in the win against Alice Lloyd, while Hall stepped up at the net against Johnson with three total blocks, including a pair of solos as well. Digs were more of a team effort against Johnson with Haley Esquivel collecting 12 and Pfaadt picking up 11.
Of UPIKE's remaining 13 matches, seven are against teams from the Mid-South Conference.
