FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Volleyball team battled to a loss against Wheeling on Tuesday night, falling by a final score of 3-1.
 
The sides were evenly matched to start the first set, going back and forth all the way up to a 10-10 tie. Junior AJ Thompson had a few highlights in the rally, serving up an ace and recording a pair of kills in leading the offense. WU was able to grab the first hint of momentum, getting a two-point lead before four straight scores put them up 19-13. Shortly after, another trio of points put the visitors ahead 23-15, then Thompson and senior Beverly Braun had three kills attempting to keep FSU in it but couldn't maintain the scoring as the Cardinals won 25-19.
 
Frostburg came out with renewed energy in set two, getting out to a 3-0 lead before WU hit back with the next three of their own. This time, it would be the Bobcats to steal the early momentum, scoring six in a row to surge ahead 10-5. Senior McKaily Thomson-Moran's kill kicked things off, followed by a pair of aces from senior Hayley Delor, a combined block from Thomson-Moran and freshman Paige Mock, and another Braun kill. The Cardinals continued to chip away at the deficit, eventually getting back within one before scoring four in a row to take the lead 16-15. Thompson took over once again, breaking the run with a kill, followed by finding the floor again and serving up an ace to go up 19-17. The Bobcats were able to keep Wheeling at bay, as Braun had a pair of kills, Delor earned another ace, and sophomore Amanda Knieper put one down to win the set 25-22, the first-ever set win for the program against the Cardinals.
 
Set three was a close affair through the opening rallies, with WU holding a slight lead at 11-9 following a Thompson kill. Wheeling took their opportunity up 14-12, taking five of the next six points to go ahead 19-13 after a trio of kills and a couple Bobcat errors. FSU wouldn't go quietly, as Braun, Thomson-Moran, and Thompson all recorded scores to get with 19-16. In the end, the Cardinals proved too much to handle, going on a 6-1 run to end the set 25-17.
 
Wheeling looked to put the match away in the fourth set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead before Frostburg answered with kills from Thomson-Moran, Mock, and Braun to go up 5-4. The Bobcats' surge continued with a pair of Knieper scores, along with Braun and Thomson-Moran putting down kills to lead 10-7. Despite three straight Cardinal points, Frostburg kept pushing, as Delor, Braun, and senior Katie Keech all scored to maintain a 16-13 advantage. WU responded in quick fashion, rattling off 12 of the next 14 points, surging to the match win with a 25-18 set victory.
 
In the list of outstanding individual performances, Braun recorded a season-high 21 kills to lead all scorers, while junior Fiona Gonzalez Medina came within three digs of her career-high, tallying 28 on the night. Delor put in an all-round match with 48 assists, a match-high three aces, and 17 digs. Thomson-Moran and Mock were a force on the block, with both putting up five, tying for the match lead.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 8-9 on the year, while Wheeling improves to 9-6. FSU will stay in Bobcat Arena for their match against West Liberty on Friday, October 6 at 7 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.