FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Volleyball team narrowly lost to West Liberty 3-2 in a home match that went the full five sets.
 
FSU started set one the better of the two teams, as they jumped out to a 10-5 lead thanks to a trio of kills by junior Beverly Braun, who also combined with junior McKaily Thomson-Moran on three massive blocks to set the tone early. WLU clawed their way back, getting to within 12-10, but the Bobcats went on a six-point run to go up 18-10 that featured another Braun kill, joined by an ace from senior Bianca Smalls and a pair of kills by sophomore AJ Thompson. The Hilltoppers made a late run to cut the deficit to 22-18, but it was too little, too late as a Thompson kill and an ace from junior Jenna Gossard helped put the set away 25-19.
 
The second set began much more even than the first, as the sides battled back-and-forth to 9-9 with neither team leading by more than two. Frostburg took some momentum with three straight points on a Braun kill and an ace by senior Edwyna Lainez, but West Liberty responded once more to tie the set at 13-13. With FSU up 16-15, the team kicked things up a notch, winning seven points in a row, as redshirt junior Hayley Delor and Thompson combined for four points and Smalls recorded another ace for a commanding 23-15 lead. Braun and Thomson-Moran ended the set with authority at 25-16 for a two-set lead.
 
WLU was determined to extend the match, racing out to a 10-5 lead in the third set. FSU battled back to 13-10 on a Smalls ace, but the Hilltoppers took six of the next seven points to go up 19-11. The Bobcats found some footing with a 7-2 run that featured a pair of Thompson kills, getting within 23-20, but a pair of West Liberty kills kept the match alive with a 25-21 set win.
 
Frostburg flipped the script in the fourth set, getting out to their own 10-5 lead thanks to a pair of points by Thompson, a kill from Braun, and another swat from freshman Joie Allen. WLU didn't go away, as they slowly worked the score back to 12-9, but FSU took four of five points on some great plays by Thompson and Delor to go up 16-10. The Hilltoppers could not be deterred, as they went on a 9-2 run with Allen and junior Katie Keech finally stopping the bleeding to stay in the lead 20-19. Another kill by Allen took the score to 22-20, but West Liberty was too much at the end of the set, taking five of the final six points to even the match with a 25-23 set victory.
 
In the deciding set, Frostburg took the early momentum with aces by Thompson and Lainez and a kill from Braun for a 7-4 lead. WLU evened the score at 7-7, then momentum swung in both directions with the match in the balance. The Bobcats went up 10-8 before the Hilltoppers answered with a 5-1 run to go up 13-11. FSU then won four of five points and had match point at 15-14, but West Liberty rallied again with three straight points for the final 17-15 set win.
 
Thompson had a career day, setting a new personal best for kills in a single match with 15, while adding a match-high four aces and six blocks. Braun followed close behind with 13 kills and five blocks, while also helping defensively to the tune of 20 digs, tying with Gossard for second on the team behind freshman Amanda Knieper's 23. Delor and Lainez combined for 42 assists on the night, with Delor adding five blocks.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 13-7 on the season, while West Liberty improves to 12-7. The Bobcats return to the court on Tuesday, October 4 for a 7 p.m. road match against Fairmont State. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.