MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Frostburg State Volleyball team split their first two matches at the Marauder Clash on Friday, defeating Chestnut Hill 3-1 before losing their first match of the year to Millersville 3-0.
 
In the first match against CHU, both teams played fairly even throughout the early part of set one, with the Bobcats eventually getting out to a 13-9 lead thanks to a combined block by freshman Joie Allen and junior McKaily Thomson-Moran. The Griffins woke up at that point and went on a 10-1 run to take a commanding 19-14 lead. Junior Beverly Braun ended the run with a kill, which sparked FSU to with six of the next seven points and even the match at 20-20. Frostburg rattled off three straight points to get to set point at 24-23, but Chestnut Hill was able to fend it off, plus another two more set points, eventually taking the set on three points in a row 28-26.
 
The Bobcats came out stronger in the second set, winning the first four points, but CHU quickly recovered to get the score back to 6-5. FSU kept their foot on the pedal, with Allen getting kills either side of a Braun ace, then combining again on a block with Thomson-Moran to go up 10-5. Both sides traded points, with the Griffins closing the gap to 13-11 to stay within touching distance. Frostburg again took command, winning five out of six points to go up 18-12, featuring kills from Thomson-Moran and senior Bianca Smalls. Chestnut Hill fought back to 19-16, but FSU shut the door with six straight points, as sophomore AJ Thompson got a pair of kills and a block to take the set 25-16 and even the match at 1-1.
 
Set three began with each side trading point-for-point, as the Griffins held slight leads at 5-3, 10-8, and 12-11, but weren't able to get any large scoring run thanks to the resolve of the Bobcats. Frostburg started to kick into gear, beginning with a kill from Braun and Thomson-Moran getting another pair of blocks to go up 14-12. The teams once again traded points to get the score to 17-16 FSU, as the Bobcats were able to close out the set with eight unanswered points off the back of Smalls' serves and several blocks to win 25-16.
 
In the fourth set, FSU looked to take the win quickly, racing out to an 8-4 lead, but the Griffins were able to battle back and tie the set at 10-10. Frostburg regained control with kills from Thompson, Braun, junior Katie Keech, and redshirt junior Hayley Delor to go up 15-11. CHU still wouldn't go quietly, fighting back to 17-16, but the Bobcat offense was too much to handle, scoring seven of the next eight points to take the score to 24-17, with junior Jenna Gossard getting back-to-back aces to cap the run. Back-to-back Griffin points kept the match going until Thompson finished things off with a kill for the 25-19 set win, ending the match 3-1 FSU.
 
The Bobcats were led offensively by Braun's 19 kills, as Thompson capped an all-round display with 13 kills, eight blocks, and a pair of aces. Delor, Thomson-Moran, and Allen each had seven blocks, with Delor (14), sophomore Fiona Gonzalez Medina (13), and Gossard (10) all reaching double-digit digs defensively as well.
 
In the evening match against Millersville, once again things began even in the first set, with the Marauders holding a narrow 9-8 advantage. MU then went won the next five points to take a 14-8 lead, eventually pushing the score to 18-13. FSU dug in, getting a kill from Braun followed by back-to-back aces from her to pull within 18-16. Millersville continued to stay in the lead at 21-19, but four straight errors gave the Bobcats the lead 23-21 with a chance to win the set on a Thompson kill at 24-22. The Marauders locked in and won the next four points to take the first set 26-24.
 
Millersville took their momentum into the second set, getting out to a 5-2 lead early on. Frostburg fought back to tie the match at 6-6, though MU would use a couple scoring runs to go up 16-11. The Bobcats stayed resolute, using kills from Braun and Thomson-Moran to work the score back to 16-15. The teams went back-and-forth to 19-17 MU, but Frostburg got a kill from Allen and another from Smalls to take the lead 20-19. Just as they had in the first set, the Marauders came back from down 23-22 to take the next three points and win the set 25-23.
 
Millersville again started the better of the two sides in the third set, taking a 6-3 lead to begin the set. They eventually were able to push the lead to 10-5 but kills from Allen and Smalls and a combined Thompson/Allen block got the score back to 10-9. MU then went on a 7-2 run to take a strong 17-11 lead as they looked to finish the match. With the score at 20-15, FSU found another gear, taking five straight points to tie the match, aided by a kill from Keech and an ace from Braun. Allen and Keech then got back-to-back kills to go ahead 23-21, but as was the story of the match, the Marauders were able to take the final four points to win each set in complete comeback fashion, 3-0.
 
Braun led the Bobcats offensively with 10 kills and defensively with 12 digs, while also tallying four aces and three blocks. Thompson, Allen, and Thomson-Moran all continued their strong defensive days with five blocks each. Senior Edwyna Lainez tacked on 15 assists, her most in a match since September of last year.
 
With the split, FSU now stands at 5-1 on the year, as the five wins to open the season were the most since 2019 and tied for the most since 2010. The Bobcats return to the court tomorrow, September 3 as they wrap up the Marauder Clash against Nyack at 11 a.m. and West Chester at 2 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.