BEARCAT VOLLEYBALL GETS FIRST WIN

Bearcat volleyball got its first win of the season on Monday in a road match at Dover, but they were unable to duplicate the feat in Tuesday’s conference opener against Charleston.

On Monday it was a straight set victory over the Pirates (26-24, 25-21, 25-18), although each set was contentious, especially the first set.

The Bearcats had started that set with the first five points.

Dover closed to within 8-5 before Karmen Kent, Lydia Franklin (shown), and Ellie Smith all had kills to stretch the lead back to five and a kill by Emma Mikles made it 12-5.

Dover closed to within 17-15 before another Smith kill and a pair of Sara Ulmer aces.

The Lady Pirates made a third run and eventually tied it at 23 and 24 before a serve into the net gave the Bearcats an opportunity to end it and Kylie Lunsford delivered the final point kill.

In the second set the difference between the teams was no more than two until an ace by Ulmer made it 12-9.

The Bearcats led the rest of the way though Dover was within striking distance throughout. A kill by Kent got the Lady Bearcats within two points of a set win and a long serve eventually ended it.

Kent had three aces in the final set, including back to back serves that pushed the lead to 18-13 and Mikles had a kill and shared a block with Ulmer before consecutive kills by Smith and Kent wrapped it up.

On Tuesday the Bearcats were down two sets to Charleston (23-25 and 15-25) but forced a fourth set with a 25-19 win in the third set.

Charleston led that one 16-14 before back-to-back aces by Camdyn Dove tied it and, a pair of Mikles kills made it a five-point run to make it 19-16.

It was 20-18 when a dig by Lilly Downs led to a kill by Lunsford and the Bearcats ran the lead to 24-18 on another Lunsford kill.

Charleston staved off the set loss with the next point but a wide serve made it 25-19.

Charleston scored the first five points of the fourth set and led throughout on the way to a 25-18 clincher.

There were flashes by the Bearcats including a block by Kent, a kill by Lunsford, and an ace by Downs that gave the Bearcats hope but Charleston eventually stretched it to nine at 20-11 and was in control from there.

The Tigers had also scored the first five points of the night but the Bearcats rallied and eventually lead by the first set by as many as three at 16-13 after consecutive kills by Lunsford.

After ties at 21 and 23, Charleston scored the final two points of the set.

The Bearcats next game will be Thursday in Paris.