FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State volleyball team dropped a home match to Fairmont State by a 3-1 final.
After trading early points, the Bobcats started running away with the first set, getting out to a 10-4 lead early after four attack errors from Fairmont and a pair of kills by freshman Adele Evans. Frostburg then put up a pair of blocks to keep the pressure up, with junior Paige Mock joining classmate Maya Johnson and sophomore Devin Brunk, while sophomore Dani Kunkle had kills either side of Falcon errors to make the score 16-7. Fairmont wouldn't go away easily, fighting back into the set, taking seven in a rowto get within 18-16. The Bobcats took three of four following a Mock block with junior Grace Yocham, but the next five went to the visitors, giving them a shock 22-21 lead. Each side traded scores, then Kunkle and Johnson found the floor either side of a Falcon error to take the narrow 25-23 victory.
Set two started with a block from Mock, but Fairmont rattled off eight of nine to go ahead 8-2. Kunkle got Frostburg back in the set with three kills and an ace, while a Yocham kill and sophomore Emery Kuebler's scoring serve bringing things back to 13-10. Brunk had a nice swing on a kill down the line that she followed up with an ace, while a Kunkle score and back-to-back Falcon errors brought the Bobcats to within 16-15. As the teams went back-and-forth, Mock found the floor on a short set to get Frostburg within two at 21-19, but Fairmont continued to counter with strategic tips and a pair of serving errors to win 25-20.
Fairmont would take the first bit of momentum in the third, leading 3-1 before a Kunkle kill and Mock ace evened things up. After playing to a 6-6 tie, the Falcons took full control, going on a 13-2 run to storm ahead 19-8. Frostburg was able to pick themselves back up with a 7-1 run, as Brunk and Kunkle earned kills while Mock and Johnson and graduate Brenna Siperko and Kunkle joined on blocks that brought the Bobcats back within 20-15. Another Kunkle score was followed by a Siperko-Yocham block, but Fairmont took the final four points to win the set 25-17.
Mock scored the first point of the fourth but was immediately answered by four consecutive Falcon scores. Trailing 6-3, the Bobcats rolled off nine of the next ten points to go up 12-7, as a balanced attack of Kunkle, Yocham, and Siperko combined for four kills and an ace from the former. Fairmont would respond with five of the next six, getting back within 13-12. Kunkle tried to give Frostburg a cushion on a kill, but the visitors kept momentum on their side with a 9-2 run to take a commanding 21-16 lead. Despite Kunkle and freshman Bailey Rafferty netting three combined kills, the Falcons held onto their advantage with a 25-19 victory for the match.
Kunkle led all scorers with 20 kills while also leading the Bobcats on 10 digs. Mock put up five blocks while Kuebler netted 23 assists in the effort.
With the loss, the Bobcats move to 6-10 on the season, while Fairmont is now 15-6. Frostburg continues their homestand as they will host Charleston (WV) on Friday, October 17 at 7 PM. For more information please visit frostburgsports.com.
