CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Frostburg State Volleyball team picked up their first win of the 2024 season with a close 3-2 decision over Point Park on Friday afternoon.
Set one began with the sides trading points in the early stages, as sophomore Paige Mock had each of the Bobcats' first three points, with the Pioneers holding a 4-3 lead. They would hold on to their advantage until back-to-back kills from senior Beverly Braun tied the set at 9-9. Point Park took seven of the next twelve points to go up 16-12, where scores from senior AJ Thompson and freshman Dani Kunkle kept Frostburg close until a 6-3 run grew the Pioneer lead to 22-17. Back-to-back kills from junior Amanda Knieper and another Kunkle score brought FSU all the way back to within 22-21, but three straight Point Park points gave them the first set 25-21.
The Bobcats came out fast in the second set, as Braun had the first two kills, followed by a combined block with Thompson for a 4-1 advantage. The Pioneers battled back as the sides went back-and-forth up to a 9-8 score line, from which FSU scored six of the next seven to go ahead 15-9. Freshman Emery Kuebler began the run with a kill, then three Point Park errors were mixed between Kunkle and Braun each finding the floor. Hitting right back, the Pioneers scored five of the next six to get within two at 16-14, then after three straight Bobcat points, again came back, getting to a 20-19 score. Knieper helped settle the nerves with two straight scores, as a service error and Kunkle kill brought Knieper back to finish out the set with a 25-23 Frostburg victory.
Each side stayed close in the third frame, with FSU holding a narrow 4-3 lead early on. Mock then started a six-point run that culminated in a Braun ace, pushing the Bobcats ahead 10-3. Knieper, Thompson, and Kunkle combined for four scores at a 14-7 advantage, as the Pioneers tried to stay close with three in a row. Frostburg wouldn't let them pull any closer over the next several rallies, as Thompson, sophomore Maya Johnson, Knieper, Braun, and Kunkle balanced out the offense up to a 21-12 lead. Point Park attempted a furious comeback, winning seven of nine points, but the Bobcat lead was too much to overcome, as a serving error and Kuebler kill ended things 25-20 with FSU up in the match 2-1.
Determined to stay alive in the match, Point Park came out of the fourth set firing on all cylinders, surging out to a 14-4 lead. Thompson scored twice and had a block with Kuebler, while Kunkle added a kill to stay afloat at 15-9. The Pioneers didn't let the Bobcats have a sniff at getting back into the set, taking three straight to go up by nine, then finding enough points along the way to take things into a decisive fifth set at 25-16.
Frostburg was first out of the blocks, with Braun taking two of the first three points, followed by kills from Mock, Kunkle and Thompson up to a 6-3 lead. The sides traded four-point rallies, as a 7-6 Point Park advantage was quickly turned into a 10-7 score in favor of the Bobcats, bookended by Thompson and Braun scores. After the Pioneers made it 10-8, Braun kicked off some FSU dominance, as Mock and Johnson both shut down the opposing offense on back-to-back blocks, then redshirt junior Phoebe Lingold served up an ace and Knieper finished off the match with a kill to win 15-9.
Braun led all scorers with 16 kills, as Kunkle (12) and Thompson (10) joined her in double-digits, the former earning a double-double with 11 digs. Kuebler put up 51 assists, as Knieper (18 digs) and senior Fiona Gonzalez Medina (17) helped out the defensive effort.
With the victory, Frostburg improves to 1-3 on the season, while Point Park falls to 0-6. The Bobcats remain at CALU to take on Bloomsburg and the tournament hosts at 10 AM and 3 PM, respectively, on Saturday, September 14. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
