HENDERSON, Tenn. - UPIKE volleyball notched a pair of victories at the Freed-Hardeman tournament Saturday afternoon.  

Game 1: UPIKE 3, Freed-Hardeman 2 

UPIKE picked up where they left off, winning the first set 25-19. The Lions leveled the match score with a 25-20 win in set two, then took a 2-1 match lead after a 25-18 win in set three. The Bears returned the favor with a 25-18 win in the fourth to send the match to a decisive fifth set. After falling behind 13-9, the Bears went on a 7-1 run to close out the fifth set 16-14 and win the match 3-2.  

Lanie Hawley led UPIKE with 15 kills and Olivia Chapman was second with 12. Chapman and Hawley also had four blocks each. Tylie Barton had a game-high 38 assists and Ashtyn Filkins had a career-best 20 digs.  

Game 2: UPIKE 3, Tougaloo 0 

The Bears got rolling in the first set and won 25-17. UPIKE got off to a fast start again in set two and held off a fierce comeback bid by the Bulldogs. After winning set two 25-22, the Bears wrapped up the match with a 25-16 win in set three to take the match 3-0.  

Nine different Bears recorded a kill in this one, led by Alondra Ayende with eight. Tylie Barton led the Bears in assists for the fifth consecutive game. The Bears had 15 aces against Tougaloo, led by Barton and Aspen Braaten with three each, followed by Ashtyn Filkins, Lanie Hawley, and Alondra Ayende with two each. Filkins also recorded a game-high 17 digs. 

Saturday's victories make it three in a row and three out of four for the Bears at the Freed-Hardeman tournament. Following the tournament, Coach Mary Haynes' squad is 4-1 overall and has a short break before their next match. The Bears will hit the road for Grayson, Ky., for their 2024 conference opener against the KCU Knights on September 12th.  

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