PIKEVILLE – UPIKE made a valiant effort and stuck around with the No. 4 team in the nation, but Lindsey Wilson still got the sweep, 25-19, 25-12, 25-16.
The Bears (7-10, 0-2 MSC) actually held the lead for a good portion of the first set, as far out as 16-14, but the Blue Raiders had too much offense and went on a 8-0 run to take the lead for good.
Amanda Gooding had three of her five kills in the first set. Noelani Simpson had a team-high six kills overall.
Lindsey Wilson’s offense came alive in the second set where the Blue Raiders hit .324 as a team and made quick work of the set, 25-12. A good chunk of that offense came from Sarah Cruz who had a match-high 14 kills. Cruz, Elly Burke and Paulina Sobolewski had 30 of Lindsey Wilson’s 44 kills.
The duo of Gooding and Cassie Jones held strong on defense, getting two of their three block assists in the second set.
The third set was much closer than the score indicated at first. UPIKE held with the Blue Raiders out to 13-13, But a pair of long Lindsey Wilson runs set the match away for good.
UPIKE’s next match will not be much easier as the Bears travel to Georgetown to take on the No. 16 Georgetown Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.
(Source: UPIKE Sports Information Office)