Fighting Falcons Stop Volleyball Comeback Attempt in Regular Season Finale

FAIRMONT, W. Va. –  The Frostbug State Volleyball team ended their regular season with a 3-1 road loss to Fairmont State on Friday evening.
 
Set one began with the Bobcats taking the first four points, as sophomore Paige Mock opened with a kill and a block, then junior Amanda Knieper served up an ace. The Fighting Falcons quickly recovered, winning the next five to take a one-point lead. After the teams traded points, freshman Dani Kunkle found the floor either side of a Fairmont error, but once again the hosts battled back, wiping away the three-point lead and beginning a stretch where neither side led by more than two up to a 16-16 tie. This time, it would be the Falcons to take momentum, securing three scores in a row and maintaining that advantage up to 22-19. Frostburg hit back with Mock swatting a ball down followed by back-to-back aces from freshman Emery Kuebler, but two straight Fairmont kills gave them the narrow 25-23 set win.
 
Neither team had much of an advantage to start the second frame until the Falcons broke a 4-4 tie with four of the next five points to lead by three. They continued to hold a lead until Knieper, Kunkle, and senior AJ Thompson all scored in quick succession to get back to a 12-12 score. Fairmont was able to get back to their advantage, but the Bobcats didn't let them get away, with Thompson and sophomore Maya Johnson joining freshman Devin Brunk to keep within 19-18. Natalie Zemba proved to be the difference for the Falcons late on, as her three kills eventually put Frostburg away, despite a pair of late errors for another 25-23 win.
 
The third set also started as a close contest up to another four-all draw, but the Bobcats swiftly took momentum by taking five in a row, as Brunk served up a pair of aces and Kunkle got back-to-back kills to lead 9-4. Johnson and Thompson then took over the offense, combining for four scores while Mock added another as the lead ballooned to 18-6. Kunkle, Mock, and Thompson then put Fairmont away late on in dominant fashion, staying alive in the match with a 25-12 victory.
 
In reverse of set three, set four started off all Falcons, scoring the first five points as they looked to avoid a fifth deciding set. Frostburg answered back on a pair of Knieper aces, but Fairmont kept their foot on the pedal, taking 11 of the next 14 points to jump out to a 16-7 advantage. Their lead built all the way up to 18-9 when the Bobcats went on a short run, as Johnson and Brunk scored three of the next four points, then joined on a block as Kunkle put down back-to-back kills, pulling within 22-17. The Falcons were not deterred, taking three of the final four points to take the set 25-18 and seal the match.
 
Kunkle tied for the game lead with 13 kills, while Mock put up a match-high five blocks and junior Fiona Gonzalez Medina had 29 digs to lead the defensive effort.
 
With the loss, Frostburg drops to 11-16 on the year, while Fairmont improves to 18-13. Both teams now advance to the MEC Tournament, with seeds and matchups yet to be determined. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.