FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State University fell to Shepherd University in a five-set thriller on Tuesday evening, by scores of 19-25, 25-21, 28-26, 20-25, 10-15.

Fairmont State opened the first set with an early lead, capitalizing on an attack error and a kill by McKenzi Martin to go up 4-1. Despite building a slim advantage, the Falcons faced a response from Shepherd, which drew even at 4-4 following a service ace by Sofia De Los Mozos. The Rams then edged ahead with a series of kills and maintained a narrow lead, despite efforts from the Falcons to close the gap. Notable contributions included kills from Natalie Zemba and Joey Borelle, but Shepherd's consistency in attack helped them extend the margin late in the set. The set concluded with the Rams securing a 25-19 victory, as Fairmont State struggled to regain momentum despite a late service ace from Borelle.

In the second set, the Falcons gained early momentum with a series of kills by Martin and Borelle, pushing them to a 6-3 lead. The team capitalized on Shepherd's errors to extend their advantage. Midway through the set, Cayden Anschutz and Alexa Martin contributed with key kills, increasing the score to 12-8. Shepherd rallied with a sequence of successful plays, leveling the score at 14-14. The Falcons responded with a service ace from Alexa Martin, which helped them regain a narrow lead. As the set drew to a close, a kill from McKenzi Martin and a service ace by Josie Skinn secured a 25-21 set victory for the Falcons, giving them control of the match.

The third set began with the Falcons taking an early lead as Josie Nobbe and McKenzi Martin contributed kills to set the pace. Shepherd responded and managed to tie the score at 5-5, thanks to a series of successful plays by Sophia Ryan and Rylee Lenz. Despite this, Fairmont State soon regained momentum through a series of attack errors by the Rams, narrowing the gap and eventually evening the score at 21-21. The set saw several lead changes, with the Falcons capitalizing on Shepherd's attack errors and strong offensive plays by Borelle and Nobbe. Fairmont State managed to pull ahead at a critical juncture, reaching a 23-21 advantage. The match remained tense with Shepherd tying the score at 23-23. However, the Falcons secured the set victory with decisive plays from Alexa Martin and another crucial kill by Nobbe, closing the set 28-26 in favor of Fairmont State.

In the fourth set, the Falcons initiated the play with an early kill by Borelle, assisted by Zoe Ringer, which set the tone for a promising start. Fairmont State capitalized on an attack error by Shepherd's Emily Ryder to extend the lead to 2-0. Despite this, the Rams quickly responded, taking a 4-2 lead following a series of successful plays, including a service ace by Gracie Zartman. The Falcons managed to regain momentum midway through the set with key kills by Martin and Nobbe, tying the score at 5-5. However, Shepherd maintained pressure and extended their lead to 11-7 with a strong offensive showing, including a service ace by Macy Buso. As the set progressed, Fairmont State attempted to close the gap with effective plays from Borelle and Alexa Martin. Despite their efforts, Shepherd maintained their advantage, reaching a 20-17 lead. Fairmont State fought back to cut the deficit to 18-16, but the Rams' consistent offense, highlighted by Lenz's kill, kept them ahead. The set concluded with Shepherd securing a 25-20 victory, despite the Falcons' persistent attempts to narrow the margin through late points.

The fifth set began with Shepherd gaining an early advantage with a service ace and an attack error from Fairmont State, establishing a 2-0 lead. However, Fairmont State quickly responded with a service ace from Borelle and a kill by McKenzi Martin, shifting the momentum and capturing a 4-2 advantage. The teams exchanged points, with McKenzi Martin contributing another kill to keep the score tight at 6-6. Midway through the set, the Falcons capitalized on a block by Anschutz and Alexa Martin to regain an 8-7 lead. Despite this, Shepherd responded with a series of consecutive points, including a kill by Ryder, which pushed them ahead to 9-8. The set concluded with Shepherd mounting a decisive run, aided by multiple attack errors from Fairmont State. Shepherd closed the set 15-10, securing the victory.

Joey Borelle recorded 17 kills, contributing a total of 20 points. Josie Skinn led the defense with 28 digs across five sets. Natalie Zemba and Alexa Martin each tallied six total blocks, showing their effectiveness at the net. Zoe Ringer facilitated the offense with 32 assists, playing a crucial role in setting up scoring opportunities.

Fairmont State (15-9, 3-4) returns to conference play on Friday, October 24 at Davis & Elkins College. Start time is set for 7:00 p.m.