Frostburg State University Athletics

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Volleyball Team dropped both of their matches at the Bobcat Invitational on Friday afternoon, falling 3-0 against Pitt-Johnstown and 3-1 to Walsh. 

In the first match of the day, the Mountain Cats got on the board with a service ace, however the Bobcats outpaced them nearly two-to-one en route to an early 7-3 lead after kills from senior Grace Yocham and freshmen Kayla Greene and Gabrielle Morris. UPJ swiftly turned things around, using a 9-2 run to go up 12-9. Scores from sophomore Adele Evans and junior Allison Brown, followed by a block between the former and Yocham, brought Frostburg back even at 12-12. Pitt-Johnstown wasn't to be slowed by the rally, as they took six of the next seven to put them up 18-13. Looking to get back into the set, the Bobcats responded with Yocham and sophomore Pia White finding the floor while Greene and Morris combined on a block to pull within three. Still the Mountain Cats pressed on, putting home three in a row to lead 22-16. FSU staged a late comeback attempt, as Morris and Greene stuffed a pair of attacks while freshman Judy Steffens and Brown had kills to get within 23-22, however Pitt-Johnstown scored either side of a serving error to take the opening set 25-23. 

The sides began the second set evenly matched, as neither team led by more than two points up to a 9-8 Frostburg advantage on a service ace from senior Alyssa Stanton and kills from Brown, Greene, and Evans. Some errors then gave way to a 7-1 UPJ run that gave the visitors a 15-10 advantage before a Steffens kill and two miscues brought FSU within two. The Mountain Cats were much more efficient in denying a Frostburg comeback this time around, ending the set with a 10-2 run to put things away at at 25-15.

It was another back-and-forth affair at the start of the third set, with just a point separating the sides up to a 12-11 Bobcat lead through a sophomore Alliyah McNair kill and an ace by freshman Miranda Ball. Pitt-Johnstown took the first look at momentum, scoring seven of the next nine points that put them ahead 18-14. FSU was able to turn the tide, however, as Brown kicked off a six-point rally with a kill and an ace, while Morris joined Greene on a pair of blocks for a stunning 20-18 lead. As they had done in each of the previous sets, UPJ responded in full, using a trio of kills and a pair of blocks to regain a 23-21 advantage. Despite two late McNair scores, the visitors secured the 25-23 final to come away with the match sweep. 

Steffens drove the offensive effort with eight kills, as Stanton led the defense with 14 digs and two aces while Morris and Greene had 11 blocks between the pair. 

The early part of the first frame against WU was much different than the previous match, with the visitors quickly taking the upper hand and going ahead 11-4. McNair looked to provide a spark on offense, recording back-to-back kills before joining Evans on a block to put things at 14-8. The Cavaleirs looked to put the set away quickly, netting five of the next seven points to go up 19-10. Frostburg still had some fight, as kills from Morris, McNair, and Yocham provided offense, however Walsh's lead never slipped back below six in the remainder of the set as they sealed their 25-16 set win.

WU appeared to have some more momentum into the second frame, taking a 4-2 lead before the Bobcats hit back and turned it into a back-and-forth battle. The sides each took turns in holding the lead, with Brown and Morris combining for three scores and a 10-9 advantage. Walsh came back with three in a row, as FSU hung around enough to put things at 15-14. Morris then began a four-point run on a kill before joining McNair on a block, as the latter put down back-to-back spikes to go up 18-15. The Cavaliers worked to get back in the set at 19-18, however two straight errors were followed by an Evans-McNair block and a kill from junior Emery Kuebler for a 23-19 lead. Walsh looked to pull off a late stunner with four of the next five points, however Yocham ended the frame with a score off a pass from Kuebler to take the set 25-23. 

The Cavaliers began the third by taking a multi-point lead, which they held up to a 9-7 score before a McNair kill and two service aces from Stanton put Frostburg up 10-9. Brown put down a kill to keep the lead at 13-12, but Walsh had other ideas, winning eight of the next ten to hold a 20-15 advantage. FSU was determined not to let things get away, as McNair had an ace and Brown found the floor as part of a 5-2 run to pull back within a point. The comeback attempt was ended by WU, as a trio of kills was enough to withstand the late rally for a 25-21 victory.  

With another close bout starting the fourth set, the Cavaliers led 6-5 before Frostburg then went on an 8-1 run, with Yocham and McNair combining for five kills for a 13-7 lead. Walsh answered with force, using a 10-1 run to regain the lead at 17-14. Two scores from Evans and Brown kept the Bobcats close before coming back within one on a served ace from the latter, bringing the score to 21-20. Morris and Yocham had kills down the stretch but a pair of kills from the visitors and a dual block ended the match with their 25-22 fourth-set win.

McNair and Yocham led the Frostburg offense both reaching double-digit kill totals at 14 and 11, respectively, as the former also added four blocks and two assists. The Bobcats had one of their top dig totals of the early season, as Ball led the way defensively with 22, while Brown (19) and White (14) weren't far behind.

With the two losses, FSU drops to 2-4 on the season and will conclude the Bobcat Invitational on Saturday, September 5, against Shippensburg at 4 p.m. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com