NEW ORLEANS, La. -- With wins over William Carey (Miss.) and Southern-New Orleans on Saturday, the University of Pikeville volleyball team will be leaving the Big Easy in style, wrapping up play with a 3-1 record through four matches in the Big Easy Blastoff.

The Bears (8-2) had an easy time in both matches, topping William Carey 3-1 before shutting out Southern-New Orleans 3-0. The lone set lost was the result of hitting just .103 as a team in the third frame against William Carey. It was a short setback though as the Bears posted team hitting marks of .208 and .198 in each match while dominating defensively.

William Carey (2-4) posted just a .009 hitting mark as the Bears blocked them 14 times and got 16 digs from Kaitlyn Welsh, while Southern-New Orleans (0-6) hit just .051 as UPIKE tallied six blocks and spread the digs throughout the lineup.

Savanna Zakman, Sydney Hall and Welsh spiked 10 kills each in the four-set opener, followed by Connor Cook being the only Bear in double figures with 10 kills in the shutout of Southern-New Orleans.

It was quick work in the second match as UPIKE posted set wins of 25-15, 25-16 and 25-20. Against William Carey it went 25-16, 25-9, 20-25 and 25-17.

Zakman finished with 28 and 24 assists, respectively for UPIKE and Natalia Gascot emerged as a threat on serve with a combined seven aces.

UPIKE's 33 total aces and 2.36 aces per set average are both Big Easy Blastoff records.

BEAR FACTS

UPIKE is now 8-2 overall, continuing its best start in recorded program history…Through four matches at the Blastoff, three Bears tied for the lead in kills with 31 including Zakman, Hall and Welsh…Zakman finished with 107 assists...Amari Eadie was UPIKE's block leader with 11 though four matches…Zakman sent over nine service aces over the two days in New Orleans.

UP NEXT

UPIKE stays on the road Tuesday, taking on Kentucky Christian at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday in Grayson, Ky.

-UPIKE-