PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A senior night crowd left the UPike Gym happy after the Bears recorded a 3-1 win over Bluefield University Tuesday night.
 
The win moved the Bears to 18-8 on the season and assured them of a winning record this season. UPike was coming off a four-win campaign a year ago. More importantly, it improved them to 10-8 in the AAC.
 
Bluefield dropped to 15-12 on the season, 10-7 in the conference.
 
The Bears came out firing and turned the tide for the first point of the match. Kill leader Yaricel Rodriguez found setting Cheyenne Martinez to get it started on offense. The Bears led 3-1 early.
 
Bluefield took a 10-8 lead with a kill by Joslyn Evans, but the Bears stormed back with seven unanswered points, and when Martinez and Rodriguez connected the traditional way, the Bears led 15-10. It got no closer as the Bears took the opener 25-18.
 
The Rams scored three of the first four in the second set and never lost control. UPike got within a point at 17-16 and 18-17, but never gained the lead. When Evans recorded another kill, it gave Bluefield a 25-19 win in the second set.
 
The third set started out with Bluefield taking control. A pair of kills by Liangelys Santana led to a 4-0 lead for the Rams. The Bears maintained composure, and a run of five out of six points were fueled by a pair of Martinez kills and evened the count at 7-7.
 
Trailing 14-13, UPike went on a 6-1 run that opened with a pair of Rodriguez kills and ended with three straight attack errors by the Rams to put UPike on top 19-15. A kill by Alondra Ayende finished it for the Bears, 25-20.
 
With their backs against the wall, Bluefield scored the first four points of the fourth set. The Bears rallied, however, getting two kills from Martinez and one from Rodriguez to tie the score at 6.
 
The Rams led 11-8 when the Bears scored on an attack error. As so often has been the case this season, freshman Bella Blackburn served them back in front. She recorded a pair of service aces as the Bears scored six straight points. The Rams got a point but it was a brief stop, as UPike ran off four more in a row to take an 18-12 lead.
 
One final kill by Rodriguez finished it, 25-16.
 
The Bears had 40 kills, paced by 17 by Rodriguez. Martinez, who had seven kills on her senior night, added 30 assists.
 
Rodriguez also starred on defense, having four solo blocks. Senior libero Kiara Warrens had 18 digs, while Blackburn finished with 14 and senior Daniela Hernandez had 13.
 
The Bears will be back in action on Friday night when they travel to Georgia to play Truett McConnell at 7:30. The final home match of the season will be Tuesday, Oct. 31, when the Bears host Bryan College. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.