FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State (6-8) volleyball team rallied to force a fifth set after trailing 2-0 but eventually fell to Shepherd (5-8) at Joe Retton Arena on Tuesday (Sept. 19).
 
Fairmont State Leaders
The Falcons were led offensively by Joey Borelle who swung for 22 kills, Josie Nobbe with 15 kills and Ellie Zuro with 13 kills. Jaianna Bouarouy tallied 31 assists, and Kelsie Dangerfield had 19 assists. Josie Skinn totaled 28 digs, 6 assists, and two aces. Borelle notched three aces, and Bouarouy hit two service aces.
 
Inside Set One
Zuro led with three kills in the first five points for the Falcons. Shepherd was able to control the offensive attack for much of the set and led 18-9 late in the set. Fairmont State continued to fight back with kills from Zuro, Borelle and Nobbe to close in on the Rams' 20-17 lead. Borelle chipped in two more kills down the stretch that kept the score close, but the Falcons fell 25-20.
 
Inside Set Two
After going down 3-0 early in the second, the Falcons bounced back with two kills apiece by Zuro and Nobbe and a block by Emma Ludwig to take the lead, 7-3. The tally was evened at 12-12 after a push by the Rams halfway through the set. Both teams went back-and-forth and traded the next 10 points to make the score 17-17. SU pulled ahead with a two-point deficit for a score of 21-19. Fairmont State stayed close after a bad set to make the score 23-21. The Rams were able to control the rest of the set and won set two, 25-21.
 
Inside Set Three
Following two serving errors by the Rams, an assisted block by Ludwig and Nobbe and a kill by Zuro, the Falcons took control of the third set, 4-3. Shepherd went on a scoring run to make the score 9-5 in favor of the Rams. Borelle rallied the offensive push for the Falcons where she would hit four kills to cutback Shepherd's lead to 13-11. A defensive block by Ludwig and a serving ace by Jay Miller pushed the Falcons to level the score at 16-16. Fairmont State continued their momentum with two more kills by Borelle to make the score 18-16, but SU countered this with two points of their own. A FSU block by Ludwig and Chloe McDaniel altered the score to 19-18 in favor of the Falcons. Shepherd then adjusted their offensive efforts to push a 21-19 in favor of the Rams. Following a FSU timeout, Borelle tallied a kill and the duo of Vicky Manda and Borelle balanced the score at 22-22. The Falcons regained the lead after kills from Borelle and Zuro to force set point. Zuro would collect the final point of the third set with a kill and the Falcons took set three, 25-22.
 
 
Inside Set Four
Following a tight third set, the Falcons and Rams continued to battle out the beginning of the fourth set with and traded the first 18 rallies. Fairmont State jumped into the lead with a kill by Zemba and a block by Ludwig and Nobbe for a 11-9 score. FSU carried on with their advantage to make it 15-12 to force a Shepherd timeout. Bouarouy and Borelle combined to hit three service aces that increased the Falcons lead to 24-15, which was the largest lead in the set for FSU. Fairmont State finished off the fourth set 25-20 to force a fifth set.
 
Inside Set Five
Bouarouy started right where she left off with a huge serving ace to start the final set of the match. Three kills by the Rams and a hitting error by Fairmont State made the score 4-1. FSU was able to recover and tied the score, 4-4. SU pushed the lead back to three points after winning the next three rallies. Nobbe pulled the Falcons back into the set with two kills to decrease the Rams' lead to 9-6. Fairmont State went down 12-7 after a serving error and two kills by Shepherd. Huge defensive plays made by Skinn and Miller and a pair of kills by Borelle kept the Falcons within striking distance. Shepherd secured the final points of the set and won the deciding set, 15-10.
 
 
Up Next
The Fairmont State volleyball team will open Mountain East Conference play on Friday (Sept. 22) against the Pioneers of Glenville State. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. inside the Waco Center on GSU's campus.