Kunkle Paves Way for Volleyball's Third Straight Victory

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Volleyball team captured their third straight victory with a sweep of Point Park in Bobcat Arena on Tuesday evening. 
 
Point Park got on the board first, taking the first three points of the match.  Freshman Emery Kuebler dished to fellow freshman Devin Brunk for Frostburg's first point of the match, as Brunk swatted down a kill.  PPU extended their lead to 5-2 to keep the set going, until a kill from freshman Dani Kunkle, followed by a Pioneer error at the net brought the Bobcats within one 5-4.  After two ties, FSU quickly took their first lead of the set, scoring seven consecutive points off scores from senior AJ Thompson, sophomore Maya Johnson, and Kunkle.  Ahead 13-9, Frostburg continued to pour in the points, as junior Amanda Knieper was credited with a kill to put FSU on top 18-11.  The Pioneers took a trio of points before two kills from Kunkle and two errors from Point Park helped the Bobcats build a 22-16 advantage.  PPU wasn't done yet, stringing together four points to get within two, but three straight points from Frostburg, with the help of Thompson and Kunkle, gave the Bobcats the 25-20 win in set one. 
 
The Pioneers again tallied the first two points of the set, before FSU soared for the next three to take their first lead.  A kill and a service ace from Point Park put them back in front 4-3, as they continued to hold on to their early advantage.  A kill from Kunkle, followed by a service error from PPU, tied the game twice before the Bobcats rallied for six consecutive points to gain a 14-8 edge.  Thompson was credited with a kill to lead the pack, before junior Chloe Del Signore saw back-to-back service aces.  Both teams exchanged points as the set went on, with Frostburg tacking on a trio of points off kills from sophomore Paige Mock.  With Frostburg on top by seven, the Pioneers struggled to stop the attack of Mock and Kunkle, as the duo continued to put down kills.  A kill from Johnson started the four-point rally for the Bobcats, with Kunkle ending it to see the game at 24-14.  After PPU secured one more point, Johnson swatted down the final point of the match, off an assist from redshirt junior Phoebe Lingold, allowing FSU to take the set 25-15. 
 
Frostburg was given the first point of the third set off an error by Point Park, as the Bobcats then captured five straight points, with Brunk, Mock, and Kunkle all being given kills to put the set at 6-1.  PPU struggled to put anything together to start the match, with the Bobcats taking advantage of free points.  Continuing their spark, FSU went on another six point run, with kills from Kunkle and Knieper, and a service ace from Brunk.  With the Bobcats pushing their lead to 13-3, the Pioneers were given some points to their score off some errors from Frostburg, bringing the game to 13-7.  Thompson helped the Bobcats take a duo of points, before Point Park was able to get within four again.  FSU's offense slowed down a bit, exchanging points with PPU, until another kill from Kunkle advanced the score to 20-14.  A kill from Brunk, followed by three straight Kunkle kills, allowed Frostburg to stay in front for the 25-17 win to end the match. 
 
Kunkle led the way for Frostburg on both sides of the net, securing a game-high 14 kills and three aces, as well as a team-high nine digs.  Mock was next in kills with six, while also providing four blocks.  Kuebler dished out 16 assists, with Lingold right behind her with 12, as both senior Fiona Gonzalez Medina and Knieper finished with nine digs also. 
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 9-14 on the season, while Point Park drops to 5-16.  The Bobcats go on the road for their next contest, facing Glenville State on Friday, November 1 at 7 PM.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.