RIO GRANDE, Ohio -- Exactly one week after losing its home opener, UPIKE (5-7, 0-1 MSC) volleyball exacted revenge by defeating Rio Grande (2-8) in its building on Thursday, 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-10, 26-24).

With the win, the Bears broke a four-match losing streak that was riddled with close losses in many of the sets.

One of the main difference makers between Thursday's contest and the one a week prior was the influence of Noelani Simpson, who missed the first matchup with an injury. Simpson and Amanda Gooding paced the Bears with 10 kills each. 

Gooding had an excellent all around match as her 10 kills were error-free in addition to her six blocks.

​​​​​​​UPIKE as a team was as stout as it has been all year on defense, tallying a season-high 23 blocks on the evening. Hunter Clewis led the team with 10, while Cassie Jones and Mikayla Frye each contributed on seven.

That defensive outing held Rio to a .081 attack percentage on the match, with a -0.083 percentage in UPIKE's dominant third set victory.

The Bears will stay on the road to participate in the Quaker Classic in Richmond, Indiana over the weekend. Pikeville's matches in the tournament will begin at 6:00 p.m. Friday with a matchup with Crowley's Ridge College (6-4), followed by a meeting shortly thereafter with Boyce (1-3).