PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The most spirited home match of the season went down to a fifth set before the University of Pikeville pulled out a 3-2 win over Bluefield (Va.) University on Tuesday night at the UPike Gym.
 
A large crowd in attendance, primarily made up of fellow student-athletes, made the most of it and gave the Bears a distinct homecourt advantage.
 
UPike improved to 11-7 on the season and 6-4 in the AAC. Bluefield slipped to 10-9, 5-4 in the league.
 
Sophomore Lanie Hawley led the way with a career high 20 kills, while freshman Cassidy Rivas followed with 10. Sophomores Alondra Ayende, who had four service aces, and Theresa Romero added eight each. Freshman setter Tylie Barton established a new season high with 48 assists.
 
Defensively, Rivas had 26 digs to lead five Bears in double figures. Ayende had a career-high 21 digs, while Barton also had a season-best 20. Freshman Ashtyn Filkins and junior Jordan Roberts followed with 18 each.
 
Sophomore Theresa Romero paced the Bears defensively at the net, recording three solo blocks and three assists. Freshman Olivia Chapman added three assists.
 
Rams 25, Bears 11: Bluefield started out like a house afire and ended the first set in a blaze of glory. The Rams scored the first five points of the game en route to a 9-1 lead. UPike trimmed the lead to 17-10 thanks to three consecutive kills by Rivas, but with the scored 18-11, the Rams closed it out with the final seven points.
 
Bears 25, Rams 21: It was UPike who took control early in the second set, scoring three of the first four points thanks to kills by Chapman and Ayende. Three straight kills by Hawley gave the Bears a 9-6 lead, and when Ayende recorded a pair of service aces, the lead was 13-8. The Bears went on a 7-2 run late, getting two kills from Barton, to lead 23-16. The Rams pulled within three before a kill by Hawley put it away.
 
Bears 25, Rams 23: Bluefield took the early lead and kept it until the Bears went on a 5-1 run, scoring three in the run on Ram attack errors, to go up 13-8. The Bears never trailed again, but a service ace by Georgia Lewis pulled the Rams within a single point at 23-22. The teams exchanged points before the Bears won thanks to an attack error.
 
Rams 25, Bears 23: UPike jumped out to an 8-5 lead and was in front most of the way. A Hawley kill made the lead 15-11 and an attack error ran it to 19-14. Bluefield then scored four straight, and kills by Cylie-Ann Wong and Joslyn Evans made it 19-18. UPike stemmed the tide with consecutive points before the Rams scored three straight to even it at 21. A block by Romero pushed the Bears back in front 23-21, but the Rams scored the final four points, closing it out thanks to a set error to force the fifth game.
 
Bears 15, Rams 10: Tied 2-2 in the fifth set, the Bears scored three straight points on an attack error, an Ayende service ace and a kill by Hawley to go up 5-2. A 6-2 run, keyed by kills by Chapman, Rivas, Romero and finally Ayende, pushed the Bears on top 12-5. Bluefield responded with three straight before the teams traded points until the end, closing it out with Hawley's 20^th kill.