Box Score PIKEVILLE, Ky. – With a 6-0 lead in the fifth set, the University of Pikeville volleyball team appeared on its way to completing a comeback from two sets down, but Campbellsville rallied back to tie it at 13 and ultimately steal the set 17-15 on Tuesday at the UPIKE Gym.
Annija Abolina was hard to stop for the Tigers (4-7, 1-3 MSC), finishing with a match-high 19 kills, but the Bears gave themselves a chance to win by outhitting Campbellsville as a team .245 to .228 and sending back an impressive 18 block assists.
All five sets were close, starting with the first as UPIKE (7-6, 0-4 MSC) took a 21-20 lead on a kill from
Audri Ray. But then the offense stalled and the Tigers scored five straight points with the help of three UPIKE errors.
The second set was similar with CU leading 21-20 after the Bears scored three straight points on two kills by
Haley Esquivel and one from
Sydney Hall. The Tigers ended up taking a 24-21 lead before sealing the set and 2-0 lead on a swing by Jade Nelson to make It 25-22.
Tied 21-21 in the third set, the Bears finally got their break as they found four straight points, all one Campbellsville errors, to get back in the match. UPIKE cruised in the fourth frame, taking a lead as big as seven points before sending the match to the fifth set with a 25-21 win.
After giving up the big lead, the fifth set was eventually tied at 15 before Marcella Compeau found back-to-back aces to win the match. Compeau finished with a match-best five aces on the night as Campbellsville out-aced the Bears 10-8.
Three UPIKE players with double digits in kills led its attack as Esquivel finished with 13, Hall had 11 and
Chelsea Staples tallied 10. Hall and Staples were also the leading blockers with seven and five, respectively, while
Caitlynn Pfaadt stood out with a match-high 24 digs.
The Bears return to action at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday against St. Catharine at UPIKE Gym.
