FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The Fairmont State University volleyball team swept Ursuline 3-0 on Saturday at Joe Retton Arena, taking the sets 25-11, 25-18 and 25-13. The Falcons hit .387 with 48 kills while holding the Arrows to a .080 attack percentage and 23 kills.
The Falcons turned a 6-5 deficit into a 16-6 lead with 11 straight points, including 10 consecutive service points with
Josie Nobbe serving. The set opened with exchanges from both sides before
Elena Thompson, Nobbe and
Kailyn Connelly delivered kills to keep the Falcons close, and Nobbe's kill from
Zoe Ringer tied it at 6-6.
During the decisive stretch, Connelly was involved in three blocks,
Baylie Ostvig put down three kills, and Nobbe added a service ace as the Falcons created separation. The Falcons continued to add points through Thompson,
Alexa Martin,
Sasha Conner and Nobbe late, closing the first set with a 25-11 win.
In the second set, the Falcons turned a 14-12 deficit into a 19-15 lead by winning seven of eight rallies in the middle of the set, using kills from Connelly and Ostvig along with Arrows errors to move in front. The Falcons opened the set with three straight points, including kills by Thompson and
Ava Strange, before the Arrows answered and the teams traded control through the middle stages.
After the Arrows stopped the run at 19-16, Thompson added three kills down the stretch, and
Alexa Martin and Ostvig combined on a block that helped the Falcons maintain separation. Strange closed the set with back-to-back kills from
Belle DeVall, giving the Falcons the set, 25-18.
After the Arrows closed within 13-7, the Falcons created separation by scoring six straight points to move ahead 19-7 as Ostvig supplied three kills during
Aubrey Haskins' service stretch. Early in the third, the Falcons answered a 3-2 deficit with five consecutive points, moving in front on a block involving Connelly and
Averi Martin before Grace Devall added a service ace and Connelly finished a kill from
Belle DeVall for a 7-3 lead.
The set stayed with the Falcons through the middle, with Nobbe, Connelly and Thompson adding kills as the lead reached 13-5 before the Arrows picked up two points. After the 19-7 stretch, Thompson and
Alexa Martin added kills,
Taylor Duermit put down two late kills, and
Rylee Burkhamer closed the 25-13 third set from
Addison Veigel.
Thompson led the Falcons with 11 kills while hitting .500 and finishing with 12 points. Connelly recorded eight kills on a .583 hitting percentage and added four total blocks.
Alexa Martin posted seven kills without an attack error, hit .636 and contributed three total blocks.
Belle DeVall finished with 19 assists and eight digs.
Fairmont State (12-4, 1-0) returns to conference play on Tuesday, September 22 with a match at Wheeling University. Start time is slated for 7:00 p.m.
