UPIKE Athletics

The University of Pikeville opened AAC play on Friday night with a hard-fought 3-0 win over visiting Tennessee Wesleyan University at the UPike Gym.
 
The Bears won by very close scores of 25-22, 27-25, 28-26.
 
UPike is now 8-3 on the season overall. The Bulldogs now stand 9-3.
 
Senior Allyah Tokelau led the Bears with 17 kills in the win. Freshman Sidney Johnson joined her in double figures with 11. Four more teammates had at least six on the night. Senior setter Chloie Brinton had assists on 42 of UPike's 80 points.
 
Brinton and freshman Bailee Moore led the Bears on defense with 10 digs each. Laney Hawley was the leader at the net with two solo blocks and two block assists.
 
The Bears will have to rest quickly, returning to action on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. against the Lions of Bryan (Tenn.) College in another AAC matchup.
 
Bears 25, Bulldogs 22: The Bears trailed 2-0 early but then ran off eight unanswered points behind the serve of junior Cassidy Rivas. Three Bears – Chapman, Risner and Tokelau – had two kills each as UPike charged ahead. Leading 8-4, the Bears scored five of the next six points to lead 13-5. A 5-0 run for the Bulldogs got them within two at 16-14. Rivas had two kills in a 3-0 run to send UPike on top 19-14. Five Bears had at least three kills, and one by Hawley – her fourth of the opening set – gave the Bears the win.
 
Bears 27, Bulldogs 25: Tennessee Wesleyan opened the second set with five straight points, getting two service aces from junior setter Allie Hibdon, before the Bears responded with four consecutive. By the time the score reached six, the teams were even, and were tied at five straight points before the Bulldogs took a 13-10 lead. Trailing 24-21, the Bears scored three straight to tie it. UPike finished it on a kill by Risner and a Bulldog attack error.  
 
Bears 28, Bulldogs 26: The teams were tied 12 times in the set, including five after the Bulldogs evened it at 22. A kill by Tokelau tied the score at 26, and Rivas finished it with consecutive kills for the win.