Volleyball Falls to Pikeville

ATHENS, Tenn.- The volleyball team battled hard in its Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opener Friday night, taking the third set before falling 3-1 to the University of Pikeville Lady Bears. 

The Bulldogs (8-5, 0-1 AAC) showed resilience after dropping the first two frames, storming back in the third behind Nyah Hudson's .500 hitting percentage with nine kills and two blocks. Amya Sutton paced the offense with 11 kills, while Alley Hibdon added nine kills and 22 assists, keeping TWU's attack balanced.

In the fourth, Tennessee Wesleyan kept the pressure on as Savannah Jones and Ella Brannan chipped in key swings, but Pikeville held on late to secure the match. Talynn Wheeler anchored the defense with 13 digs, and Megan Thompson added 20.

Despite the setback, Tennessee Wesleyan's energy and depth were on display, giving the Bulldogs momentum to build on as conference play continues.