September 21st, 2024 by WCBC Radio
Frostburg State Volleyball team dropped a narrow 3-2 match to Goldey-Beacom on Friday evening in the second day of the Bobcat Invitational.
Senior AJ Thompson got the first set started with a kill off a feed from freshman Emery Kuebler, then proceeded to get the first of back-to-back FSU scores with freshman Dani Kunkle, as the hosts held a 7-5 lead. GBC hit back with four of the next five points to move up 9-8, though neither team held more than a one-point lead up to a 16-16 score. Kunkle and Thompson scored twice in a row, followed by kills from senior Beverly Braun and sophomore Maya Johnson to put the Bobcats up 18-16. Once more, the Lightning responded, tying things up at 18 all, but a service error helped kick Frostburg back into gear. Braun and junior Amanda Knieper combined on a block, then the latter found the floor and had another combo stuff with Kunkle, pushing ahead 23-19. Kunkle then got blocked herself, but recovered on a key kill, followed by a Goldey-Beacom error, as FSU took set one 25-20.
The visitors raced out to a 7-3 lead to begin the second, looking to quickly even the match up, but kills from Johnson and Kunkle either side of a solo block by sophomore Paige Mock brought the Bobcats within 8-6. GBC kept the pressure on, going on three straight three-point rallies up to a 19-11 advantage. Frostburg had other ideas, rolling off five straight points, with Braun serving up an ace, Mock earning back-to-back scores, and Kuebler combining with Kunkle on a block that brought things back to 19-16. Each side traded back-and-forth, with Goldey-Beacom leading 21-17, as yet another five-point Bobcat run gave them a stunning turnaround at 22-21. Thompson led the charge with a trio of kills, then late on, Kunkle and Braun bookended a Lightning error to capture a stunning 25-22 set victory.
A battle ensued to start set three, as neither team could generate much momentum, until GBC went on a 5-1 run to lead 10-7. Braun earned back-to-back kills following a Thompson score to pull within 11-10, but a five-point Lightning run kept them out of touching distance at 16-10. Braun responded by putting down three of the next five points, as Johnson contributed a kill and Kuebler served up an ace to bring the score back to 16-15. After each team got a point on one another, Johnson smacked down another ball and freshman Devin Brunk earned an ace to pull ahead 19-18. Thompson kept the Bobcats in the lead by one, but five-straight Goldey-Beacom scores gave them four set points at 24-20. Kunkle kept FSU alive in the set with a kill, as Braun followed suit with two either side of a Thompson block to even things up, but GBC was able to recover with back-to-back points to stay in the match, winning 26-24.
Keeping their momentum, the Lighting went up 5-2 in the early moments of the fourth, but Braun had a kill and an ace, while Johnson scored once more to get back to a 6-6 tie. Goldey-Beacom began to run some steady offense, going on small runs to hold a 14-9 lead, as Braun provided the only Frostburg offense in their next four scores, trying to stay afloat at 17-13. The teams each made two-point rallies, as GBC was able to keep the Bobcats at arms' length, fending off a late score from Kunkle and a Thompson-Kuebler block to win 25-19.
Beginning the deciding set with a three-point advantage, the Lightning looked to complete the reverse sweep, but two Kunkle kills kept the score within 7-5. Not looking back, GBC scored six of the next seven to hold a commanding 13-6 lead, as two straight kills from Braun and sophomore Brenna Siperko were not enough to hold on, as Goldey-Beacom earned the 3-2 comeback with a 15-8 victory.
Braun led the offense with 20 kills, followed by Kunkle (15) and Thompson (12) each reaching double figures. Kuebler had a career-high 54 assists, while also posting the second-most digs (17) behind senior Fiona Gonzalez Medina (19), as Kunkle (15) and Knieper (11) both aided the defensive effort.
With the loss Frostburg falls to 4-4 on the year, while GBC improves to 5-4. The Bobcat Invitational concludes on Saturday, September 21, as FSU is set to face UIndy and Edinboro at 12 and 6 PM, respectively. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
