PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The Fairmont State volleyball team (26-5, 14-1 MEC) won a 3-0 match over Point Park (6-19, 3-12 MEC) on Monday at Student Center Gym. With the win, Fairmont State will host the 2026 Mountain East Conference Volleyball Tournament.
Fairmont State trailed 4-1 before kills from
Elena Thompson and
Averi Martin, a block by
Kailyn Connelly and
Baylie Ostvig, and a Grace Devall ace helped the team move ahead 5-4. The Falcons held to a 10-7 lead, with
Kailyn Connelly and
Alexa Martin contributing kills during that stretch.
After the Pioneers later tied the set at 15-15, Connelly delivered back-to-back kills and Ostvig added a block as the Falcons went back in front 18-15. With the score at 22-20,
Natalie Zemba's kill, a Pioneers attack error and
Belle DeVall's service ace closed out the Falcons' 25-20 set win.
At the start of the second set, Thompson,
Averi Martin and Ostvig each had kills as the Falcons opened 3-0, and the visitors answered the Pioneers' early push with a five-point run that included kills from
Alexa Martin and
Averi Martin.
Natalie Zemba added a kill and Thompson followed with a service ace to make it 15-7 before the Pioneers scored the next two points. The Falcons created more separation with back-to-back Connelly kills, an
Alexa Martin kill, a block involving Martin and Connelly and a
Zoe Ringer ace, then closed the set with Connelly and Martin providing late kills in a 25-15 win.
Belle DeVall opened the set with a service ace as Fairmont scored the first three points, and the visitors later built leads of 11-6 and 15-12 behind kills from Connelly,
Alexa Martin and Zemba. The Pioneers answered with six straight points to turn the Falcons' 15-12 lead into an 18-15 deficit, then pushed the margin to 20-17 before the Falcons responded at the service line.
The Falcons erased the deficit with five straight points, including a Connelly kill, a Thompson kill and a
Janai Turner service ace, to move ahead 22-20 in the third set. After the Pioneers tied the set at 22-22 and later pulled within 24-23, Zemba and
Alexa Martin combined on the closing block as the Falcons finished the set with a 25-23 win.
Connelly led the Falcons with 14 kills, 16.5 points and five total blocks while hitting .579. Grace Devall recorded a team-high 15 digs, surpassing 1,000 digs in her collegiate career. Ringer finished with 19 assists, three digs and one service ace.
Alexa Martin added eight kills on a .353 hitting percentage with four total blocks.
Fairmont State concludes the regular season back in Joe Retton Arena on Thursday, November 5 against Frostburg State University. The start time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
