WEST LIBERTY, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team lost on the road to West Liberty 80-61 in a game where the final score did not tell the story of the full game.
 
The Bobcats were able to start out on the front foot, as sophomore Harley Herndon and senior Arianna Briggs-Hall scored on FSU's first two possessions before the Hilltoppers finally got on the board with a three-pointer. Senior Maggie Sharp and freshman Emilee Weakley kept the momentum going with a layup each, but WLU hit another triple then converted on a Frostburg turnover to take their first lead at 9-8. Briggs-Hall and graduate Shelby Funchess took the lead back for FSU, though West Liberty was then sparked into action, scoring eight unanswered for a five-point lead. Sharp nailed a much-needed three, followed by another Funchess bucket to tie things up, though the Hilltoppers scored the final points of the quarter with a pair of free throws to go into the second with a 19-17 lead.
 
West Liberty opened the next period with another conversion at the charity stripe and two baskets, but Weakley, Briggs-Hall, and senior Ciara Thomas kept Frostburg's offense churning with three straight layups. WLU recaptured some momentum with a layup of their own and yet another triple, but the Bobcats were able to hang around despite the five-point deficit. Briggs-Hall and Funchess continued to supply the scoring that kept FSU within striking distance, then Weakley took control with the game's next eight points, surging Frostburg to a 37-35 lead. The Hilltoppers finally broke their three-minute basket drought to tie the affair again, but Briggs-Hall immediately scored at the other end and Weakley split her trip to the line in the final seconds to take the teams into the locker room with the Bobcats ahead 40-37.
 
In reverse fashion to open the third, each team struggled to find offense, with both sides limited to just one made basket in the first five minutes. Thomas scored for FSU in response to WLU's opening field goal, with Weakley making another two freebies to take a 44-39 lead. Unfortunately for Frostburg, the cold shooting would continue through the majority of the quarter, as the team went nearly five and a half minutes between made field goals. The Bobcats were able to use their defense to limit West Liberty to just six points during the stretch, but ultimately had lost the momentum during a 15-4 Hilltopper run to end the quarter ahead 54-48.
 
A strong offensive surge to start the fourth whisked away the struggles of the third, as Weakley, Sharp, and Funchess combined for eight points in the first minute and a half to quickly regain FSU the lead at 56-54. WLU woke up after the burst with their own seven-point run to go back up by five points. Briggs-Hall scored Frostburg's next four points to get within three, but the final five minutes of the game belonged to the Hilltoppers, who splashed three baskets from downtown as part of a 17-1 finish to the contest to take the win 80-61.
 
Weakley added another double-double to her season with 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Briggs-Hall tied her season-high with 14  points to go with eight boards, as she also stuffed the stat sheet with a pair of assists, a steal, and a block. Funchess notched season-highs in both points (8) and rebounds (6) in the effort.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 4-11 on the year, while West Liberty improves to 8-6. The Bobcats return to home comforts on Saturday, January 14 to face Wheeling at 2 p.m. Information and updates will be posted at frostburgsports.com.