ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Junior Haley Altemus smacked 42 kills and first-year Adwyna Lainez passes out 81 assists as the Frostburg volleyball posted one win and a loss at the Claflin tri-match, Saturday.
The Bobcats (5-3) opened the day with a 3-1 win over host Claflin, 21-25, 25-21, 25-15 and 25-22. FSU closed the day with a 3-2, five-set loss to Paine. The second match went back and forth as the bobcats won the first set 25-22, before the Lions took set two 25-18.
In the third set, Frostburg again surged ahead by winning 25-22, but Paine closed out the match with a 25-25 game four win and a 15-10 victory in the fifth game.
Altemus totaled 42 kills after smacking 22 in FSU's win over Claflin. First-year Jackie Sterenberg added 16, Lainez finished with 40 assists and senior Cori Smothers collected 20 digs.
After dropping the first set, FSU rebounded with three-straight set wins to take the match. Frostburg took control of the second game with an 11-3 run in the middle of the game and that run arguably gave the Bobcats the momentum for the rest of the match.
First-year Taylor Patrick started the run with a kill and Altemus contributed three kills during the outburst. Altemus closed the set with the final kill for the 25-21 win.
FSU opened the third game with a 6-0 run and it never trailed again after that. Altemus hit two kills for an 8-3 advantage and Sterenberg smacked two for a 21-13 lead. Sophomore Hannah Jones closed the third with back-to-back service aces for a 25-15 win.
Lainez opened the fourth game with a service ace that sparked a 5-0 run for a quick lead. Claflin narrowed the gap in the middle of the set to 9-8, but another 4-0 spurt gave FSU control. Sterenberg, Altemus and sophomore Raven Pratt each contributed a kill during the run. Pratt added a late kill and a service error handed the Bobcats the 25-22 win.
In the second match of the day, Paine rallied past Frostburg after hitting .270 as a team.
Altemus added another 20 kills, Lainez passed out 41 assists and Smothers added another 15 digs.
Frostburg used a 6-0 run in the first for a 9-2 lead, the final point in the outburst came off a kill from junior Rachel Snead. Sterenberg hit back-to-back kills to close game one with Frostburg winning 25-22.
Paine used two 6-0 scoring runs in the second game and Lanica Phillips hit two late kills for a 25-18 win.
The Bobcats slowly pulled away from the Lions in the third set as senior Bailey Godlove posted two kills for a 9-5 lead. Altemus and Sterenberg each posted two kills late in the set and Lainez closed the set with a kill for the 25-22 win.
In the fourth, Paine rallied from a three-point deficit, 20-17, with five-straight points and the Lions used a late kill from Shavonne Boggs for a 25-22 victory. The Lions opened the fifth set with six-straight points before the Bobcats answered with a 6-0 run of their own. Paine closed the five-set match with a 6-1 run down the stretch to seal the 15-10 victory.
Frostburg State returns to action on Tuesday at Bowie State at 6:00 pm.
