GRAYSON – Despite stellar games from Amanda Gooding and Noelani Simpson, UPIKE was unable to muster up enough to end its losing skid, losing to Kentucky Christian on Tuesday, 3-2 (27-25, 16-25, 13-25, 25-23, 15-9).
The Bears came out a bit flat in the first set, allowing KCU to take an early lead and hold it throughout the set. A late 4-1 run gave UPIKE a chance for set point at 25-24, but the Bears’ recent inability to close out sets came back as KCU scored three straight points to take the set.
Set two was a story of runs with each team trading punches with one another. UPIKE threw the biggest haymaker of the match with a 7-0 run that included two kills from Gooding and two service aces by Hunter Clewis. Gooding had six of her 14 kills in the second set. Her 14 kills are the she’s had since facing Point in the second game of the season.
The third set was all UPIKE from the start, building up an early five-point lead and didn’t look back. However, towards the end it was the Knights that caused their own demise with eight straight errors to end the set.
Set four was a microcosm of the Bears’ issues all night. UPIKE had 13 service errors throughout the match, and five in the fourth set. The Bears held an edge in nearly every statistical category but two crucial ones: service errors and blocks. KCU had 18 blocks to UPIKE’s 10, and the Bears had 13 service errors to the Knights’ five.
KCU stole the momentum to carry them through the fifth set and take the win.
UP NEXT
UPIKE returns to conference play on Saturday when the Bears face Cumberland (Tenn.) at 1 p.m. in UPIKE Gym.
(Source: UPIKE Sports Information Office)