MILLIGAN, Tenn. – The Milligan University women's volleyball squad was back at it on Tuesday night inside Steve Lacy Fieldhouse for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) title against the University of Pikeville (Ky.) Bears (8-9, 5-1 AAC). The two teams entered with a marked difference in the conference standings, but the Buffaloes (2-17, 1-6 AAC) supplied a valiant performance en route to a 3-1 (27-25, 18-25, 25-18, 25-21) result.

Milligan came out of the gates ready to play, leading by as many as nine points in the opening frame at 15-6. Pikeville would not make it easy on the Buffaloes, clawing all the way back to a 22-22 tie. Then, the two sides traded the following six points before the Buffs ultimately closed it out 27-25 with a kill by Shelby Miller and an attacking miscue by UPIKE.

After the Buffs took a 1-0 lead, the Bears imposed their will in the early sages of the second set. They went up by 10 through 24 points, leading 17-7. Milligan scored five of the next six to close the gap to 18-12, but it would not be enough, as the Bears and Buffs rolled through the remainder of the set to a 25-18 final in the visitors' favor.

The Buffaloes did not allow the loss in set two to discourage them, as they raced in front to an 18-13 lead in set three before Pikeville took their first timeout. After a timeout by MU with a 21-17 lead, they stormed ahead to 24-18, leading UPIKE to exhaust their stoppages. The timeout did nothing but prolong the inevitable, as an attacking error by the Bears gave the Buffs the next point. It was a 2-1 lead for MU entering the fourth.

Momentum stayed squarely in the Buffs' favor, as after Milligan led 6-5 after 11 points, they extended that lead to 15-7 on a 9-2 run. That led to the first UPIKE timeout of the set. Offensive efficiency continued for the Buffaloes, as they led 21-14 at the final Pikeville timeout. There was no denying MU on Tuesday, as they fended off a late run by the visitors to win 25-21, notching a massive 3-1 win on their home floor to return to the win column.

The two-headed monster of Shelby Miller (19 kills) and Bella Devoti (18 kills) ushered the Buffs to victory, Kira Ryan also provided double-digit terminations with 11 on just 20 swings. In the middle, Addison Varney and Erin Littleton combined for nine kills. Faith Wilson played the entirety of the bout at setter, dishing out 55 assists, a season-best total for her.

Grace Sanderson's 14 digs led the team, while Miller grabbed another double-double with 13 pickups. The Brinn sisters, Taylor Brinn and Riley Brinn, scored six digs apiece. Devoti, Wilson and Olivia Schoenstra added five each. The team had only two sop blocks and four block assists in the win, with Littleton and Varney providing one of each. Ryan and Miller had the other helpers.

It was a monumental win for the Buffaloes, who took down a Pikeville team that had won five out of six AAC battles. Now Milligan looks forward to hosting Spartanburg Methodist College (S.C.) on Friday, Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m.