FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State defeated West Liberty 3-0 on Friday at Joe Retton Arena, taking the sets 25-17, 25-11 and 27-25. The Falcons used a 12-0 run in the second set, stretching a 9-4 lead to 21-4 on the way to a 25-11 set win. The Falcons finished with a .242 hitting percentage and nine aces while holding the Hilltoppers to .061 hitting. The result moved the Falcons to 14-4 overall and 3-0 in MEC play, while the Hilltoppers fell to 3-14 and 2-1.
The Falcons finished the opening set by winning seven of the final eight rallies, turning an 18-16 edge into a 25-17 set win. At the start of the match, the teams traded points before the Falcons moved in front with a
Kailyn Connelly-
Elena Thompson block, a
Josie Nobbe ace and a
Belle DeVall service run that included an
Averi Martin kill and a DeVall ace.
The Hilltoppers worked back within 13-12, but the Falcons answered with kills from
Averi Martin, Nobbe and Connelly to rebuild separation. After the Hilltoppers cut the score to 18-16, Connelly delivered two more kills,
Baylie Ostvig added a late kill, and
Ashton Henrich served the final stretch, ending the set with an ace.
The Falcons broke open the second set with a 12-0 run from 9-4 to 21-4, with Nobbe serving 11 straight points during that stretch. Early in the second set, the Falcons moved ahead 4-1 behind kills from
Averi Martin and Nobbe and a Grace Devall service ace, then used
Zoe Ringer's serve to build a 9-2 lead as the Hilltoppers committed three attack errors before Connelly added a kill.
Connelly had three kills early in the set-turning stretch, while Ostvig added two kills and Thompson put down another before Nobbe's second ace made it 21-4. The Hilltoppers picked up points late, including service aces from Taylor Speake and Dakoda Keni, but
Natalie Zemba's kill helped the Falcons reach set point before a Hilltoppers attack error closed the 25-11 set.
The Falcons withstood the Hilltoppers' late push in the third set, seeing a 24-20 lead become a 24-24 tie before finishing a 27-25 set win. Earlier, the Falcons answered a 3-0 deficit with points on Hilltoppers attack errors and a Thompson service ace, then moved ahead 5-4 on a Grace Devall ace.
After the Hilltoppers later went in front 10-9, the Falcons responded with kills from Thompson and
Averi Martin during a stretch that carried it to a 14-11 lead. Zemba, Connelly and Thompson added kills through the middle and late stages, while Connelly and Martin combined on two block points, including the final point after Nobbe's kill put the Falcons back in front 26-25.
Connelly led the Falcons with 10 kills while hitting .643 and added three block assists. Nobbe recorded seven kills and reached 1,000 career kills in her collegiate career. Grace Devall collected a team-high 14 digs and added six assists and two aces.
Belle DeVall finished with a team-best 14 assists and seven digs.
Fairmont State will venture to Davis & Elkins College on Tuesday, September 29. First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
