FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State University volleyball welcomed four other teams for its annual Fairmont State Classic. The Falcons opened the day with a sweep of Virginia Union before falling to Lenoir-Rhyne in a four-set duel.

Match 1: Fairmont State 3, Virginia Union 0

Baylie Ostvig paced the Falcons offense with 15 kills while Joey Borelle added 11 with nine from Josie Nobbe. Kelsie Dangerfield tallied 21 assists and Belle DeVall chipped in 18. On the defensive end, Josie Skinn and Borelle each had double-digit digs with 17 and 15, respectively.

Fairmont State quickly jumped ahead in the first set and after some key plays it was in front 16-8. Late in the set, Ostvig had a couple of kills that pushed the Falcons ahead by 12 (22-10) before Borelle had back-to-back kills to close out the first set, 25-12.

In the second set, Ostvig carried over the momentum with six kills and put the Falcons up by tripling up the Panthers, 21-7. The two squads went back-and-forth late in the set before the home squad capitalized on some mistakes to go ahead 2-0 with a 25-13 win.

Both teams were evenly matched to start the third set until Fairmont State went on a 7-2 to go up 15-8 after a kill from Alexa Martin. Ostvig and Belle DeVall combined for five points to open a 10-point advantage (23-13). Virginia Union won the next point but an error and a kill by Chloe McDaniel closed out the set, 25-14, and the match, 3-0.

Match 2: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Fairmont State 1

It seemed like Lenoir-Rhyne had an early grasp on the first set as it jumped ahead, 7-1. Blocks by Natalie Zemba, Ostvig, Nobbe and McDaniel brought the Falcons within one (8-7). Attacking errors by the Bears and kills off the hand of Borelle gave Fairmont State an 11-10 edge. The set was eventually tied at 18 until the home squad scored seven of the final eight points to claim the set, 25-19.

Fairmont State was the team that itself in front early in the second it held the lead until Lenoir-Rhyne rattled off five-straight points to even the score at 14. Kills from three different Falcons with an ace by Skinn gave the lead right back (21-18). Unfortunately, it was the Bears who went on the late run, notching seven points to even the match one with a 25-22 set win.

The third set was a seesaw affair to begin with neither team garnering more than a three-point lead. This lasted until Lenoir-Rhyne led 19-15 before Dangerfield and Adella Rodriguez served up some aces to make it a 21-20 score. The Bears slowly started to pull away and eventually claimed the set, 25-22.

Both teams used small runs to open the fourth as the Falcons evened the set at 13. The Bears opened a three-point edge as the two squads started to match one another until two kills and an ace brought Fairmont State even at 20. The visitors scored the next four points with kills by Borelle and Martin made it just a two-point game (24-22). The Falcons were looking to extend the set but were unable to do so and dropped the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-1.

Borelle converted 16 attacks with 12 coming from Ostvig. Zemba had a srtong presence at the net with eight blocks while Skinn tallied 31 digs with 17 and 13 from Borelle and Dangerfield, respectively.

Fairmont State (1-1) will face Bloomsburg University to open the second day of play at the Fairmont State Classic. Match time is set for 12:00 p.m.