Pikeville, Ky. - UPIKE volleyball extended their win streak to three after a 3-2 victory over the Brenau Golden Tigers Saturday.
Brenau jumped out to a 9-6 lead in the first set. Later, the Bears found themselves trailing 21-17. The Bears then went on a 3-0 run to cut the lead to one, led by a pair of kills by Lanie Hawley. The Golden Tigers would, however, take the first set and a 1-0 match lead.
Set two was close the entire way. Midway through, the Bears went on a 3-0 to go up 18-14. Cheyenne Martinez got the rally started with a kill. BC responded with a 7-1 run to go up 21-19. UPIKE responded to the Golden Tigers' run with a 6-2 run to tie the match at 1-1.
UPIKE dominated set three from the start, scoring eight of the first 11 points. Brenau mounted a comeback, cutting the lead to two, but UPIKE put the fourth away with a 7-0 to go up 20-11. A service ace by Kiara Warrens gave UPIKE a 25-16 set victory and a 2-1 lead. The Bears were unable to put away BC in the fourth set, and the two teams went to the fifth set tied at two.
The Bears jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the fifth before the Golden Tigers tied it at six. UPIKE then went on a 4-0 run, which began after an ace by Lillian Carpenter. The Bears used that run to take the set and the match 3-2.
Alondra Ayende led UPIKE with 19 kills. Ayende was also second in digs with 11. Lillian Carpenter led the Bears defense with 12 digs. Kiara Warrens had six service aces. Cheyenne Martinez recorded 44 assists to lead UPIKE.
Coach Kern's squad is now 16-7 (8-7 AAC) following Saturday's victory over the Golden Tigers. The Bears will travel to Grayson, Ky. Tuesday night for a match against the KCU Knights.
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