FAIRMONT, W. Va. – The Fairmont State (15-14,7-6 Mountain East Conference) volleyball team battled West Liberty (21-7, 9-3 in MEC play) for a Mountain East Conference matchup on Friday (Nov. 3) evening. The Falcons fell 3-1 after winning the opening set of action.
 
Josie Nobbe and Ellie Zuro each recorded 10 kills, while Emma Ludwig hit eight. Jaianna Bouarouy notched 20 assists and her counterpart Kelsie Dangerfield passed 15. Ludwig led the team in blocks with seven and Chloe McDaniel tallied six. Joey Borelle led the team in digs with 19.
 
Inside Set One
The Hilltoppers led over Fairmont State by as many as five in the opening set at 9-4. The Falcons roared back with a 7-0 run that forced a WLU timeout. The offensive run included consecutive kills by Borelle, McDaniel and Natalie Zemba. West Liberty rallied and evened the opening set, 11-11. After both teams traded points throughout the set, kills from Zuro and Nobbe assisted the Falcons in clinching a 20-18 lead over the Hilltoppers. FSU captured the final three points of the set and Borelle racked up the final kill of the set on a pass from Skinn to give the Falcons a 25-22 win.
 
Inside Set Two
West Liberty pulled ahead 5-4 at the beginning of the second set. The Hilltoppers would go on to score the next four points which was stopped by a combo block by Zemba and Nobbe and a service ace by Jay Miller to make the score 9-7 WLU. A kill by McDaniel concluded a 5-0 run for the Falcons and put the home team ahead, 10-9. West Liberty came from behind to pull ahead of the Falcons 15-13. Multiple attack errors by the Hilltoppers resulted in the Falcons climbing back into the lead at 17-16. Fairmont State fell behind by two late in the set, but Ludwig launched a kill to make the score 22-21, WLU. FSU continued to fight back but it was not enough as West Liberty grabbed the second set 25-23 to level out the match, 1-1.
 
Inside Set Three
The beginning of the third leg of the match was back-and-forth, as both teams were deadlocked at 9-9. A kill from Zuro and a WLU attacking error pushed the Falcons ahead 11-9. West Liberty went on a run and grabbed a 16-13 lead. A kill by Ludwig adjusted trimmed the WLU lead to 17-15. The Hilltoppers extended the lead to 21-15 and held their largest lead of the third set. The Falcons fought to win three-consecutive points and forced a WLU timeout. West Liberty steered the rest of the set in their favor 25-19.
 
Inside Set Four
Fairmont State went ahead 9-8 after a block from Zuro and Ludwig. Kills by Zuro and Borelle helped the Falcons even the set, 12-12. An 3-0 scoring run by the Hilltoppers resulted in an FSU timeout. Kills by Nobbe and McDaniel shifted the momentum back in Fairmont State's favor out of the timeout. WLU combatted the run with three-consecutive points and seized control with a 20-15 lead. A Hilltoppers' serving error and a block by Ludwig and Borelle started the rally for FSU. A block by Ludwig and Zuro pulled the Falcons back and tied the score 20-20. West Liberty made adjustments and raced out to a 23-20 lead. A Fairmont State timeout cooled the Hilltoppers off after Zuro earned her 10^th kill of the night to make the score 23-21. WLU won a critical point at 24-21 and was on the verge of winning match point. Nobbe blasted a kill and Zemba and Zuro teamed up for a combo block to trim the WLU lead down to one point. The Hilltoppers prevailed in the final rally and won 25-23 in the final set of the night.
 
Up Next
The Falcons will host Salem this upcoming Monday (Nov. 6) in the final regular season home match. First serve is set for 7 p.m. from Joe Retton Arena.