SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Frostburg State Volleyball team dropped their road non-conference match on Tuesday evening to Shippensburg 3-0.
Shippensburg got on the board first to start the match, picking up two straight points off a kill, and an error from Frostburg. The Bobcats knocked down their first point of the match off a kill from senior AJ Thompson, with freshman Emery Kuebler getting the assist. Freshman Dani Kunkle then picked up the next point for FSU, but the Raiders put together their offense early to jump in front 7-2. Frostburg strung together a pair of points to get back within three, but SU took back the two points right away for a 9-4 game. Shippensburg continued to fight on both sides of the net, earning points left and right and not letting the Bobcats get any closer. Down by seven, FSU surged for four consecutive points, off two kills from Thompson, to put the score at 16-13. SU answered right back with a trio of scores to go right back up by six, as the teams swapped points for the next few rallies. After points were traded, the Raiders went for another set of three points, building just enough of a lead to put FSU away, with the final score reading 25-18 in set one.
The Raiders secured the first point of set two, as Kunkle quickly smacked down the next point to tie the game at one. Kuebler then dished to freshman Devin Brunk for the next Frostburg point, before SU took the next four points to take a 6-2 advantage. Thompson and Brunk each put down another kill, but Shippensburg was able to spark their lead up to 12-4. The Bobcats were able to squeeze in a point off a service error from the Raiders, but FSU struggled on the defensive end to stop SU, falling behind 17-5. Off an attack error, Frostburg put a point on the board, before Kunkle fought for two kills off passes from Kuebler and senior Fiona Gonzalez Medina. Shippensburg continued to rally, capturing two pairs of points to see their lead go to 23-9. Frostburg added a trio of points to their score to end the match, with sophomore Paige Mock receiving a kill, and freshman Allison Brown racking up a service ace, as Shippensburg took the 25-13 victory in set two.
SU started set three off the same, taking the first two points of the match. Kunkle dished down the first Bobcat point, swatting down a kill off an assist from Kuebler. Once again, the Raiders went on a five point run, jumping in front 7-1. FSU received the next two points, earning a score off a Shippensburg service error, followed by a kill from Kunkle. Brunk knocked down a kill for another Frostburg point, before the Raiders took the next four for a 12-4 game. The Bobcats played for two strands of two points, with the offense of sophomore Alyssa Stanton and Brunk being credited with the scores. Still on top, SU started another scoring run, taking seven consecutive points, building their lead to 22-9. Kunkle earned two more kills, with Kuebler racking up two more assists, but the Raiders were able to come out on top 25-14 to take the set.
Kunkle led Frostburg on offense with eight kills, while Kuebler dished out 16 assists. Gonzalez Medina provided a game-high 13 digs, while Kuebler saw eight and Brunk played seven.
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 6-14 on the season, while Shippensburg improves to 12-9. The Bobcats return home for their next game, welcoming in West Virginia Wesleyan for a conference match up on Friday, October 25 at 7 PM.
