UPIKE Athletics

 
PIKEVILLE, Ky. – For the University of Pikeville volleyball team, a return home meant a return to the smiling side of the scoreboard as it knocked off Tennessee Wesleyan University 3-0 Tuesday night to complete the regular-season sweep.
 
The win ended a modest four-match losing streak for the Bears, who improved to 14-7 on the season, 6-7 in the AAC. The Bulldogs slid to 2-20 overall, 1-13 in the league.
 
Trailing 4-2 in the opener, the Bears reeled off six straight points, including consecutive kills by freshman Lanie Hawley to take an 8-4 lead. UPike ran off six of seven points later in the set, with the last two coming off kills by sophomore Alondra Ayende and Hawley to make it 21-13.
 
It ended 25-18.
 
A 10-point run early in the second set was the difference. It included consecutive service aces by freshman Bella Blackburn, the latter of which made the score 12-3. The set ended 25-16.
 
The third set saw the Bears record an early 7-0 run off serves from senior Cheyenne Martinez. She benefitted from two Hawley kills and one by junior Yaricel Rodriguez. The match ended in a 25-10 win.
 
Rodriguez led the Bears attack with 13 kills, followed by Hawley with 10. UPike recorded 32 in the win. Blackburn and Martinez had three services aces, with Martinez handing out 26 of her team's 34 assists on the night.
 
On the defensive side, Rodriguez again led the way with three solo blocks. Blackburn led with 11 digs while senior libero followed with nine and freshman defensive specialist Lillian Carpenter adding eight.
 
Sophomore Amya Sutton led Tennessee Wesleyan with eight kills. Junior Olivia Bolin handed her teammates 12 assists to lead the way.
 
Senior Megan Lee had three solo blocks for the Bulldogs while sophomore Megan Thompson paced the team with 10 digs.
 
The Bears will return to action on Friday night when they entertain Montreat College. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. at the UPike Gym.
 
Tennessee Wesleyan will return home on Friday as well, playing host to Columbia International at 6:30 p.m.