The University of Pikeville recorded its fifth consecutive win on Friday night and remained unbeaten at 4-0 in the AAC with a 3-2 win over Union Commonwealth University on Friday night.
 
The Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead, winning 25-13, 25-18. The Bulldogs rallied to win the next two 25-23, 25-19, before the Bears pulled out a 15-7 win in the finale.
 
"Our girls believed the could win," said Coach Mary Haynes, whose team won a fifth set for the first time this season. "We had the confidence we could do it and we did. That's huge. I'm so proud of them."
 
Three Bears had double figure kills in the match. Senior Theresa Romero had 13 kills while junior Lanie Hawley and senior Gracey Lovgren had 12 apiece. Junior setter Chloie Brinton had 41 assists.
 
Brinton led the Bears on defense with 23 digs, followed by 16 by Braaton and 15 by sophomore Ashtyn Filkins. The Bears were nasty at the net again, as Lovgren had six solo blocks while Hawley had six, three solos and three assists.
 
It's a quick turnaround for the Bears, who will be back on the court Saturday morning when Johnson (Tenn.) University comes to the UPike Gym. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m.
 
Bears 25, Bulldogs 13: Union held an early lead at 7-6 before the Bears went on their first extended run, scoring seven of the next eight points. A kill by Ayende tied the match, with Romero recording three of UPike's five kills in the run that put them on top 13-8.
 
Union cut the lead to 13-12 with a four-point run before the Bears went on a 12-1 run to close it out. Romero had four more kills in the stretch, giving her seven in the first set alone.
 
Bears 25, Bulldogs 18: UPike jumped out to a 3-1 lead thanks to kills by Romero, Hawley and Lovgren before Union took an 8-5 lead with four straight points, getting two kills by Emily Shumaker.
 
The Bulldogs led 16-15 before the Bears ran off six in a row in a stretch in which Lovgren had three kills. UPike closed it out with the final four points behind the serving of Hawley.
 
Bulldogs 25, Bears 23: UPike came out firing in an effort to record the sweep, jumping out to a 10-2 lead. Hawley had two kills and a pair of blocks in the run.  Union rallied, however, and tied the match at 15. The score was tied five more times, including at 22, before the Bulldogs scored three of the final four points to win.
 
Bulldogs 25, Bears 19: The score was tied nine times early, the last being at 13. The Bulldogs broke it by scoring six of the next seven points to take a 19-14 lead. Consecutive kills by Hawley pulled the Bears within two at 21-19 before the Bulldogs scored the final four points to force the fifth set.
 
Bears 15, Bulldogs 7: Two kills and an attack error gave the Bears the first three points of the final set. Union pulled within one three times before UPike ran off seven straight points behind the serving of sophomore Aspen Braaten to take a commanding 12-4 lead. Union pulled within six at 13-7 but got no closer.