PIKEVILLE, Ky.— The Montreat volleyball team took on the University of Pikeville Bears on Friday in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matinee matchup. Playing in Pikeville, Ky., the Cavaliers lost in straight sets, falling to 7-2 (7-2 AAC) on the season.
 
A pair of service aces and four Montreat attacking errors put Pikeville (14-8, 9-5 AAC) in prime position with a 10-5 lead moments into the opening frame. Reese Davis helped trim the gap to 12-10 with a kill, but a Kamryn Wolf injury coupled with two 5-0 spurts aided the hosts in winning the initial set, 25-15.
 
Karly Horn, Davis and Sophie Duckworth notched kills early in the second, but the Bears still controlled the run of play as they expanded their edge to 15-4. Two Horn kills bookended a 4-0 Cav run, but the visitors couldn't fully erase their deficit, and UPIKE claimed the frame, 25-16.
 
Montreat got off to a great start in the third set, with Katie Alexander and Horn registering aces to go up 6-3. Davis, Horn and Elizabeth Harrington pushed the advantage up to 19-11 with kills of their own; however, Pikeville managed to rally by scoring 12 of the ensuing 14 points. The Bears secured their sweep a few points later with a 25-23 third-set triumph.
 
Davis matched her career-best output with 11 kills on a superb .611 hitting percentage. She also tallied 10 digs to achieve a double-double. Cate Hale led the squad with 15 digs. Alexander recorded 16 assists, and Horn contributed eight kills.
 
UPIKE held the edge in most statistical categories, including hitting percentage (.323 to .041), kills (42-27), assists (36-25) and digs (47-43). The Cavaliers accrued one more ace than their counterparts (4-3).
 
Montreat swings through Milligan, Tenn. late tomorrow morning as it continues its AAC schedule against the Milligan University Buffaloes. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m.