PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- All three sets went down to the wire, but in the end Shawnee State found a way to win each one over the University of Pikeville volleyball team on Wednesday, tallying winning scores of 25-20, 25-19 and 25-23.
Shawnee State didn't hit overwhelmingly better than the Bears at .196 compared to .134 and finished with just one extra block at 9-8, but UPIKE did tally a 7-2 service-error advantage and came up short in assists 35-31 to help prove the difference.
Sydney Hall and Rachel Murphy paced UPIKE (7-8, 0-6 MSC) with seven kills each and Hall, Audri Ray and Chelsea Staples all sent back two blocks in the loss. Sydney Morris orchestrated the offense with 26 assists and matched Caitlynn Pfaadt for the team lead with 10 digs.
Pikeville waited until the third set to have its best showing hitting, connecting on 12-of-33 swings with seven errors for a .152 mark. But SSU (10-6, 3-2 MSC) either matched that number or hit higher in all three sets, including a match-best .286 percentage in the 25-19 second-set win.
Shawnee State's Lauren Helbig was nearly unstoppable, connecting on 14 kills at a staggering .600 clip, while setters Devan Scarberry and Bonnie Huesing dealt out 17 assists each. Madison Smith tallied a match-best 17 digs and Hayley Carle and Tiffany Jackson were tops at the net with three blocks apiece.
UPIKE made a late push to extend the match in the third set.
After falling behind 20-12, Pikeville tallied seven straight points with Pfaadt on serve, including a pair of aces to get within one at 20-19. But SSU never gave up its lead, even with UPIKE getting as close as 24-23.
Pikeville returns to the court on Saturday for a tri-match at UPIKE Gym. The Bears take on West Virginia Tech in the first match at Noon ET, followed by a 4 p.m. meeting with Cincinnati Christian. West Virginia Tech and Cincinnati Christian will play between those matches at 2 p.m.
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