BUCKHANNON, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State (13-11, 6-3 Mountain East Conference) volleyball team defeated West Virginia Wesleyan (5-15, 1-9 MEC) 3-1 on Saturday (Oct. 21) night inside the Rockefeller Center in Buckhannon, W.Va.
Ellie Zuro led all attackers with 12 kills.
Josie Nobbe reached double-digit kills for the third-straight match and finished with 10 kills versus the Bobcats.
Natalie Zemba fired a trio of service aces and netted a match-high seven blocks at the net.
Emma Ludwig totaled five blocks while
Joey Borelle finished with four.
Jaianna Bouarouy and
Kelsie Dangerfield organized the Falcons' offense and combined for 39 assists. Three Falcons finished with double-digit digs including Borelle (18),
Josie Skinn (17) and
Jay Miller (10).
Neither team led by more than two points until the Falcons created separation with a 4-0 run that was aided by two kills from Zuro and one kill from Nobbe. Fairmont State's lead grew to seven points at 17-10 after a kills by Nobbe and
Chloe McDaniel and a WVWC attack error. The Falcons went on a 5-1 run to put the score at 22-13 after McDaniel recorded her second kill of the set. Zuro put down the final kill of the set that gave the Falcons a 25-16 opening-set win.
After trailing 13-9 in the second set, Fairmont State stormed back with a 4-0 run to tie the score after a pair of kills by Zuro and one kill each by Nobbe and Zemba. WVWC won the next two rallies and maintained a lead throughout the middle stages of the set. Fairmont State trimmed the margin down to one point following a kill by Zemba to make the score 22-21 in favor of WVWC. A kill by Nobbe and a block solo by
Cayden Anschutz evened the score, 23-23. The Bobcats claimed the last two rallies of the set and won set two, 25-23.
The 'Cats jumped out to a 6-2 lead in set three. Fairmont State won three consecutive rallies after a kill by Borelle, a combo block by Zemba and Nobbe and a WVWC attack error.
Alexa Martin recorded a kill to put the Falcons within two points and a pair of Bobcat attack errors tied the score, 9-9. Trailing by three points, the Falcons managed to tie the score at 13 after three WVWC attack errors. Fairmont State pulled in front after Zemba and Nobbe teammed up for a block that made the score 17-16 Falcons. Wesleyan tied the set at 18-18 before Fairmont State ripped off three unanswered points thanks to a kill by Nobbe and two consecutive blocks from the Falcons. The Bobcats cut the Falcons' lead by two points down the stretch. The Falcons secured the set with a 3-0 run that featured a kill by Ludwig, a Bouarouy service ace and a Borelle kill.
Fairmont State seized control of the lead at 8-6 following a WVWC service error and kills by Martin and Borelle. After the Bobcats closed the gap to 8-7, the Falcons went on their longest scoring run of the night and won seven-straight points to go ahead 15-7. Zemba swung for three service aces in the huge Fairmont State run. The Falcons pushed the lead to nine points after a Borelle kill and a WVWC attack error. A Borelle kill and service ace followed by a Wesleyan attack error grew the Falcons' lead to 20-10. Wesleyan staved off match point with a 5-0 run but could not close the gap to fewer than six points and the Falcons won the match in four sets after a 25-18 win in the final set.
The Fairmont State volleyball team returns to MEC North play on Tuesday (Oct. 24) with a rematch versus Wheeling at 7 p.m. in Wheeling, W.Va.
