For the second straight day, the University of Pikeville jumped out to a 2-0 lead but was forced to play a fifth set. This time, they couldn't manage the rally and lost to Johnson (Tenn.) University 3-2.
 
It was the first loss of the season for the Bears in league play, slipping to 7-9 overall and 4-1 in the AAC. The setback ended a five-game winning streak for UPike.
 
Four Bears reached double digits in kills, led by sophomore Olivia Chapman with 15. Seniors Gracey Lovgren and Theresa Romero had 12 each while senior Alondra Ayende followed with 11. Ayende also had both service aces for the Bears.
 
Junior setter Chloie Brinton had 49 assists on the day.
 
Chapman's big game extended to the defensive end where she had seven blocks, five of them solos. Ayende had four, two solos, and Hawley had three solo blocks.
 
Sophomore Ashtyn Filkins recorded 23 digs to lead five Bears in double figures. Brinton followed with 18. Sophomores Aspen Braaten and Lyla Reed had 13 digs each, while Ayende was credited with 10.
 
The Bears will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 4 when they host Columbia (S.C.) College. The contest is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start at the UPike Gym.
 
 Bears 25, Royals 15: Johnson jumped out to a 7-3 lead, scoring on three straight attack errors. The Bears rallied, though, scoring five of the next six points to tie the score at 8-8 on a kill by Brinton. Three consecutive kills, two by Romero and one by Chapman, put UPike in front 13-10. The Bears closed it out with an 11-2 run that included five kills, including the final two points of the set, coming from Ayende and Romero.
 
Bears 25, Royals 12: UPike scored the first six points of the second set, including consecutive kills by Romero and one by Lovgren. A later 6-2 run for the Bears pushed the lead to 19-9 on a kill by Hawley. UPike closed it out with a 6-1 run, ending the set on kills by Ayende and Lovegren followed by a Chapman block.
 
Royals 25, Bears 19: A kill by Hawley had the Bears within three at 12-9 before the Royals scored six straight to go ahead 18-9, scoring half their points on blocks. UPike used a 5-1 run to pull within five at 22-17 and again at 24-19 before a Johnson kill finished it off.
 
Royals 25, Bears 17: UPike built an early 11-8 lead before Johnson reeled off five straight points to take the lead. UPike tied it at 13 before the Royals scored five of the next six, led by back to back kills by Bella Jones to lead 18-14. A kill by Ayende had the Bears within three at 19-16, but Johnson then closed it out with a 6-1 run to force the fifth set.
 
Royals 15, Bears 11: Johnson broke a 3-3 tie by scoring three in a row, getting two attack errors and a kill by Abigail Brown. Another run of three points by the Royals had them ahead 9-4. UPike pulled within three at 11-8 and again at 14-11 but could get no closer.