FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Fairmont State (1-1) volleyball team handled Ursuline (0-2) to start the 2023 season and fell narrowly to Anderson (2-0) in the final match on Friday (Sept. 1) at the Fairmont State Volleyball Classic at Joe Retton Arena.
 
Match One – Fairmont State 3, Ursuline 0
Ellie Zuro led the Falcons on offense with 14 kills in her debut donning a Fairmont State jersey. Borelle added eight kills and while Natalie Zemba chipped in six. Setters Kelsie Dangerfield racked up 18 assists and Jaianna Bouarouy followed suit with 16 assists. On the defensive end, Josie Skinn took charge with 16 digs, and Borelle added 11 more. Emma Ludwig, Zemba, and Cayden Anshutz added a pair of total blocks each.
 
The Falcons were able to pull away at 12-8 in the opening set after key plays made by Anshutz with a block and a kill. Zuro and Borelle came up with back-to-back kills to make the score 16-14 FSU. An ace from Bouarouy bumped the lead up to 21-17 for the Falcons. The first set went to the home team, 25-20.
 
Fairmont State freshmen, Josie Nobbe and Ellie Zuro, came out swinging to force a 3-1 lead over the Arrows in set two. Two more kills from Zuro helped the Falcons to continue their lead to 15-12. Emma Ludwig and Borelle each had kills to make the score 19-16. After a block from the combination of Borelle and Zemba, the Arrows called a timeout. Ursuline trimmed the FSU lead to 23-21 late in the second set. The Falcons won a highly contested set two, 25-23.  
 
After a quick start from the Arrows in the third frame, Zuro swung for two kills to tie up the third set 3-3. Borelle added to her tally of kills on the day off of a set from Kelsie Dangerfield to make the score 8-7 in favor of the Falcons. Fairmont State went on to pull away to a 14-7 lead after an offensive run and solid defensive efforts. Jay Miller contributed a service ace that increased Fairmont State's lead to 10 late in the set. The Falcons cruised to a convincing 25-15 in the third and final set.
 
Match Two – Anderson 3, Fairmont State 2
With the score even at three in the first set, the Falcons assembled a 6-0 scoring run and controlled a 9-3 lead. Anderson closed the gap to one point at 13-12 midway through the set. After a pair of AU attack errors, Borelle finished a kill to put Fairmont State ahead by four. Anderson came within one point of the Falcons' lead down the stretch. Nobbe put down the final kill of the set and FSU led 1-0.
 
In set two, the score was tied at 11 when Zuro put the Falcons in the lead with a kill assisted by Bouarouy. Two attack errors by the Trojans and a pair of aces from Zemba boosted the Falcons' advantage to 16-11. Anderson roared back and took an 18-17 lead following a 6-0 scoring run. Baylie Ostvig collected a kill to tie the score at 18. With the score tied at 22, Bouarouy delivered a clutch ace and the Falcons regained the lead. AU tied the score at 23 on the next rally. The Trojans committed two attack errors and the second set belonged to Fairmont State, 25-23.
 
The Falcons carried the momentum into the third set and started with a 6-2 cushion. AU tied the score at seven and grabbed their first lead of the set at 8-7. Anderson extended the lead to 11-8. Skinn delivered a service ace to even the score at 12. The Falcons earned three consecutive points thanks to a pair of kills by Borelle and a kill from Nobbe to make the score 15-13 Falcons. The two teams traded the next nine rallies and Anderson tied the game at 19 in the final points of the set. The Falcons regained the lead after Dangerfield secured a point on a kill. AU went on a 5-0 run and seized the lead at 24-20. Fairmont State closed the gap to 24-22 but dropped the third set, 25-22.
 
The Trojans jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the early goings of set four. AU added to the lead after a pair of kills from Kaitlyn Barrett, making the score 14-4. The Falcons cut into the AU lead after two kills by Borelle and an ace from Skinn. Fairmont State could not cut the Anderson lead by less than four points and the Trojans won set four, 25-18 to force a deciding set to 15.
 
After the first two points of the fifth set went Anderson's way, The Falcons forced an attack error on the Trojans. The Falcons evened the score when Dangerfield assisted Ludwig on a score. AU ripped off four straight points and held an 8-4 lead. AU pushed the lead to 12-5. Borelle and Nobbe both swung kills late in the fifth set. The Falcons could not overcome the Anderson lead and the Trojans won the final set, 15-8.
 
Borelle (13) and Ludwig (11) both totaled double-digit kill totals in the battle. Bouarouy led the way with 26 assists and Dangerfield chipped in 16. Three Falcons hauled in double-digit dig totals with Borelle snagging 18. Zemba stuffed six block assists.
 
The Falcons will complete play in the Fairmont State Volleyball Classic tomorrow (Sept. 2) by playing Elizabeth City State at noon and Slippery Rock at 6 p.m. from Joe Retton Arena.