Box Score PhotosPIKEVILLE, Ky. – No. 13 Georgetown won the match 3-0, but nothing came easy against the University of Pikeville volleyball team on Thursday night at UPIKE Gym.
Behind seven kills from
Haley Esquivel, the Bears were within one at 12-11 in the first set, down one in the second at 21-20 and trailed just 12-11 early in the third frame. But ultimately Georgetown's size and talent won out, hitting .346 as a team to win 25-13, 25-23 and 25-15.
UPIKE (7-4, 0-2 MSC) struggled to hit around the block of the Tigers' tall front line as it finished with 12 total blocks on the night. As a result, UPIKE hit just .038, which includes even .000 marks in the first and third sets.
But the second set was as good an effort as the Bears had given all season, tallying a .115 hitting mark and forcing Georgetown to take a timeout with an 18-17 lead. After the break, and trailing 24-21, UPIKE got two straight kills from libero
Caitlynn Pfaadt and
Connor Cook, but a service error ended the best chance at stealing a set it would have all night.
The Tigers (8-3, 2-0 MSC) led by as many as 10 points in the first frame and 12 in the third, but the overall performance from the Bears was top notch against a team ranked in the NAIA's top 15.
Backing up Esquivel on the attack was
Chelsea Staples with five kills and setter
Sydney Morris chipping in with three. Morris led the Bears with 14 assists, Pfaadt found eight digs and two service aces and Staples sent back three blocks at the net.
Georgetown got a match-best 11 kills from high-flyer Caraline Maher and eight more from Allyson Wilbourn. Lindsey Martindale led the match with 18 assists and Courtney Grafton matched Pfaadt with eight digs. Corri Muha was the leading blocker with three assists.
The Bears are back in action at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, hosting Cumberlands which beat Campbellsville in three sets on Thursday.
