PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Led by 15 kills from Connor Cook, the University of Pikeville volleyball team came extremely close to handing Cumberlands just its third loss of the season before ultimately losing 3-2 on Wednesday night at UPIKE Gym.

The Patriots (15-2, 4-1 MSC), which own a win over fifth-ranked Lindsey Wilson, edged the Bears (7-9, 0-5 MSC) with set scores of 24-26, 25-15, 25-19, 23-25 and 15-13.

While UPIKE continues to look for its first Mid-South Conference win, the close call against Cumberlands, receiving votes in the NAIA top 25, could be used as a good source of momentum heading into the second half of the season.

UPIKE led by as many as six points at 18-12 in the first set before allowing the Patriots to get within one at 22-21, then ultimately take the lead at 24-23. Not looking to let a quality start turn south, the Bears rattled off three straight points, including kills by Cassidy Tackett and Savanna Zakman to take the 26-24 win.

Good vibes didn't last long for UPIKE as Cumberlands shot out to a 7-0 lead in the second set on its way to an easy 25-15 win in which it hit .448 as a team. A pair of 4-0 runs in the third set led to the Patriots taking that one 25-19 and things were looking good for the visitors at 2-1 overall.

UPIKE trailed 20-16 in the fourth set before going on a 6-0 run to lead 22-20. It never lost its lead from there, using a kill from Cook and error from UC's Jessica Severs to send the match to a fifth set.

Cumberlands led by as many as five points in the final frame at 11-6, but the Bears made things interesting by getting within one at 13-12. However, two of the next three points were Patriot kills, giving them the win in a hard-fought contest for both sides.

As far as hitting percentages, the Patriots fared better at .224 as a team, compared to .120 for the Bears. Zakman led the match in assists with 36, while Lynsey Short paced Cumberlands' two-setter attack with 27.

Megan Ganser tallied a match-high five blocks as the Patriots edged UPIKE at the net 16-15, despite a four-block showing from Sydney Hall. Hall joined Cook in double figures for kills with 12 as well.

UPIKE got a gift from the Patriots on serve, as they committed 19 errors, but ultimately they were better on the attack, posting a 61-47 advantage in kills to earn the win.

Bear Standout: Connor Cook (15 kills, .079 pct., 3 blocks, 5 digs)

Visitor Standout: Megan Ganser (13 kills, .444 pct., 5 blocks, 4 digs)

Match Notes:

·        It was just the third five-set match for UPIKE this season, coming into the night with a 2-0 record. Cumberlands is now 4-1 when being taken the distance.

·        Both teams entered the night on winning streaks. The Patriots have now won seven straight, while the Bears came in with four straight wins.

Up Next: vs. Bluefield State/Johnson, Saturday, Sept. 19, 12 & 4 p.m. ET, Pikeville, Ky., UPIKE Gym.

-UPIKE-