WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — Fairmont State had a strong showing in their tournament matches, first defeating Clarion 3-1 and then sweeping California (PA) 3-0.
In the match against Clarion, the Falcons secured victory with set scores of 25-13, 26-24, 22-25, and 25-23. The team finished with 60 kills and 106 digs while limiting the Golden Eagles to 42 kills and a .105 hitting percentage.
The Falcons dominated the opening set, using two six-point stretches to establish a 25-13 win. They quickly built an 8-4 lead with contributions from
Elena Thompson,
Alexa Martin,
Averi Martin, and
Baylie Ostvig. A six-point run during
Ashton Henrich's serve, highlighted by kills from Ostvig, Thompson, and Martin, pushed the lead to 17-8.
Belle DeVall later served five consecutive points to extend the margin to 22-8, allowing the Falcons to close the set despite a late rally from Clarion.
In the second set, Fairmont State rallied from a 13-5 deficit to win 26-24. The Falcons initially took a 4-0 lead thanks to Thompson's service aces but fell behind as the Golden Eagles surged. However, kills from
Kailyn Connelly and Thompson, along with some critical errors from Clarion, allowed Fairmont to pull ahead late in the set.
The third set saw another comeback effort, with the Falcons narrowing a 23-18 gap to 23-21 before the Golden Eagles ultimately took the set 25-22. Fairmont struggled early, falling behind 6-0, but fought back to keep the match competitive.
In the fourth set, trailing 20-17, the Falcons won seven of the next eight points to clinch the set 25-23. After falling behind early, the Falcons regained control with key plays from Thompson and Ostvig, sealing the match with a final attack error from Clarion.
Josie Nobbe led with 13 kills and 10 digs, while Grace Devall recorded 34 digs and four assists. Thompson contributed 10 kills, 21 digs, and three service aces, and
Zoe Ringer added 28 assists and 11 digs.
In their second match of the tournament, Fairmont State dominated California (PA), winning 3-0 with set scores of 25-20, 25-22, and 25-19. The Falcons finished with 47 kills and a .231 hitting percentage, while holding the Vulcans to 34 kills and a .156 mark, alongside 62 digs and six service aces.
The Falcons took the first set 25-20, establishing a lead with early contributions from
Ava Strange and Thompson. A strong run, including two kills from Ostvig, helped create separation, and despite a late push from the Vulcans, Fairmont maintained control to close the set.
In the second set, the Falcons overcame a 5-8 deficit to finish with a 25-22 win. They responded to Vulcans points with aggressive plays from Ostvig, Nobbe, and Connelly, and after trading leads, they gained momentum for the set's final moments.
The third set showcased the Falcons' strength as they took control after trailing 6-5, winning seven straight points behind Ringer's serve to create a 12-6 lead. Key kills from Ostvig and Thompson solidified their advantage, and despite a late rally by California, Thompson capped the match with a final kill for a 25-19 victory.
Thompson led the match against California with 12 kills, three service aces, and nine digs, hitting .355. Ostvig also had a notable performance with 12 kills and a solo block. Grace Devall collected a team-high 21 digs and added two aces, while
Belle DeVall contributed 23 assists and three digs.
Fairmont State (8-3) concludes the Atlantic Region Crossover on Saturday, September 12 against Shippensburg and Gannon. The Falcons face the Raiders at 10:00 a.m. before battling the Golden Knights at 3:00 p.m.
