UPIKE Athletics

 
The University of Pikeville ran its winning streak to 11 and improved to 10-0 in AAC play with a 3-1 win over Bluefield (Va.) University on Tuesday night.
 
Senior Lanie Hawley, the reining AAC defender of the week, proved her mettle on the offensive side, leading the Bears with 15 kills, a .522 hitting percentage, and three service aces.
 
The Burlington, Wisc., native also reached her third milestone in as many matches. After recording her 1,000^th career kill on Friday night and her 350^th block on Saturday, she had the 150^th service ace of her career on Tuesday.
 
UPike improved to 17-3 on the season. Bluefield is now 4-12 overall, 1-9 in the league.
 
Senior Allyah Tokelau joined her in double figures with 12 kills, while senior Chloie Brinton – the setter of the week for the fifth time this season – finished with 41 kills and three service aces. Junior Olivia Chapman, who had nine kills of her own, also had three aces.
 
Brinton was also a force on the defensive side, leading the way with 13 digs, while freshman Baylee Moore added 12. The Bears had 12 block assists, with Hawley recording four and Brinton three.
 
UPike will be back in action on Friday night when it visits Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) College. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
 
Bears 25, Rams 13: The Bears trailed 3-2 when they scored five of the next six points to take a firm lead. Four different players had kills to take a 7-4 lead. A run of seven out of nine points, with Chapman having a pair of kills while Hawley and Brinton had service aces, put the Bears on top 15-8. Risner had two kills in a 5-1 run that pushed the lead to double figures for the first time at 20-10. UPike scored the final four points, with Rivas having two aces, to pick up the win.
 
Bears 25, Rams 16: UPike survived a 7-0 run in the middle of the set thanks to a 6-0 response. A 10-3 run, during which Hawley and Risner had two kills apiece, put the Bears on top 12-5. The seven-point run for Bluefield featured three service aces by senior Ella Gawellek and pulled it to within one at 14-13. The lead was 16-15 when the Bears ran off six straight, with Hawley recording two more kills. UPike scored the final three points to finish the set.
 
Rams 25, Bears 17: The Rams stormed out of the gates in the third set, jumping out to a 13-2 lead. The outburst was keyed by senior Chesed Russell, who had four kills and a service ace. The Bears immediately responded with the next six points, a stretch that started with a kill by freshman Peyton Powell. Hawley had two kills to pull the Bears within five at 14-9. But the Rams ran off six in a row of their own, thanks to four consecutive service aces by sophomore Faith Alsup, to lead 22-11. The Bears scored four straight late, getting two service aces from junior Aspen Braaten, but could get no closer.
 
Bears 25, Rams 16: As if inspired by dropping only their third set in league play this season, the Bears scored the first five points and eight of the first nine of fourth set. Brinton had two service aces and three assists while Chapman recorded two kills as the Bears took the 8-1 lead. The Rams trimmed the UPike lead to 18-16 before the Bears closed it out with a 7-0 run. Again Hawley was in the middle of things, with two kills, while junior Lyla Reed was on serve and closed the night with an ace.