PIKEVILLE, Ky. - UPIKE volleyball defeated Truett McConnell 3-2 in their penultimate home match of the 2024 regular season.
Set 1: Truett McConnell 25, UPIKE 20
Midway through the first set, Truett McConnell held a 14-11 lead. UPIKE responded with a 7-1 run to go up 18-15. TMU countered with a 10-2 run to take set one 25-20 and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Set 2: UPIKE 25, Truett McConnell 22
After scoring six of the first ten points, UPIKE went on an 8-2 run and took control of the set. Truett McConnell got within three after a 5-0 run, but UPIKE again pulled away. Later in the set, TMU cut the lead to three after a service error, but Cassidy Rivas and Olivia Chapman had back-to-back kills to take back the momentum. Chapman also had the final kill of the set, and UPIKE tied the match 1-1.
Set 3: UPIKE 25, Truett McConnell 20
After falling behind 5-2, UPIKE battled back with a 9-3 run to take an 11-8 lead. Midway through the set, UPIKE and TMU found themselves tied at 15-15. UPIKE went on an important 6-1 run lead by three kills by Rivas, two by Chapman, and one by Alondra Ayende. The momentum gained during that run was enough to get UPIKE to a set victory and a 2-1 match lead.
Set 4: Truett McConnell 26, UPIKE 24
TMU jumped out to a 4-2 lead before UPIKE scored nine of the next 11 points. Truett McConnell came back with five straight to tie it, and then UPIKE scored three straight to go up 14-11 midway through the fourth. Trailing by three, Truett McConnell went on a 10-4 run and held a 22-18 lead late. UPIKE got right back in it with a 5-0 run to go up 23-22. TMU would, however, go on a 4-1 run at send the match to a decisive fifth set.
Set 5: UPIKE 15, Truett McConnell 9
Truett McConnell used the momentum they gained from taking set four into set five, jumping out to an 8-3 lead. Trailing 8-3, UPIKE went on a wild run. Ayende, Rivas, Chapman, and Romero recorded at least one kill each during UPIKE's 12-1 run, capped off with a service ace from Rivas to win the match.
Cassidy Rivas had a season-high and game-high 22 kills and was second in digs with 20. Leading the Bears in kills was Ashtyn Filkins with 21. Tylie Barton had a season-high 64 assists and tied Laney Hawley with two serving aces. Hawley also had 17 kills.
UPIKE is 16-11 (11-8 AAC) following Friday's win over TMU. Coach Mary Haynes' squad will hit the court again Saturday morning for an 11 a.m. match against the Reinhardt Eagles at the UPIKE Gym.
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