Bowling Green, Ky. - The University of Pikeville Bears' 2022 season came to end Thursday afternoon following a 3-0 match loss to the Bethel Wildcats in the 2022 Mid-South Conference Tournament. 

Bethel jumped out to an early 6-2 lead but the Bears responded with a 7-1 run to take a 9-7 lead in the first set. During the Bears' run, Cheyenne Martinez had two aces and Emily Short had a pair of kills as well. Shortly after, Oksana Vucetic recorded a kill to go up 11-10. The Wildcats responded by only allowing three more points during the set and went on a big run to take a 1-0 match lead. 

Bethel jumped out a 10-0 lead in the second set and the Bears did not have an answer for the Wildcats' big run. The Wildcats took the second set and a 2-0 match lead. 

Oksana Vucetic got the third set started with a pair of kills, then Alex Van Dyke recorded a kill to give the Bears a 4-2 lead. Shortly after, Van Dyke recorded another kill then Genesis Santiago Melendez gave the Bears an 8-4 lead with an ace. Bethel then called a timeout and rattled off a 12-4 run to go up 16-12. The Bears battled back and went on a 6-0 run, led by three aces by Mikela Cook and three Wildcat errors. The two teams traded 4-0 runs and the Bears held a 22-20 lead late in the set. The Wildcats tied it at 22 then the Bears took the lead right back. Bethel then went on a 3-0 run to close out the set and the match. 

Cheyenne Martinez led UPIKE with a season-high five aces. Martinez had five assists and two kills as well. Oksana Vucetic had a team-high three kills. Kiara Warrens had a team-high eight digs, followed by Mikela Cook with five. Cook was also second on the team with three aces.  

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