October 28th, 2023 by WCBC Radio
Frostburg State Volleyball team returned to Bobcat Arena and continued their five-match win streak with a sweep of Glenville State on Friday night.
GSU took the first two points of the match, but senior Beverly Braun lit a fire under the Bobcats, powering down three kills in a five-point run to go up 5-2. The Pioneers took the next three points to tie things at five, with the sides trading small runs up to an 11-11 score. Frostburg quickly took momentum, with the defense playing a part as junior AJ Thompson and senior Hayley Delor combined on a pair of blocks to go with kills by Braun, Thompson, and sophomore Amanda Knieper in winning five of the next six points for a 16-12 lead. Braun was a force that could not be stopped, as she found the floor for another three kills, while also serving up an ace and combining on a block with senior McKaily Thomson-Moran. Freshman Maddie Lewis added a pair of late kills that helped cap off a 9-2 run that gave FSU the first set win.
Set two was a complete back-and-forth affair, as right from the start each team went on multi-point scoring runs, culminating in Frostburg taking four in a row to go up by three only to see GSU respond with four of their own to lead 10-9. With Glenville up 13-12, the Bobcats looked set to take a 2-0 lead in the match, using a 7-2 run to lead 19-15, as Knieper, Braun, and Thompson combined for five kills. The Pioneers quickly stormed back, winning six of the next seven points to regain a narrow 21-20 lead. Once more, FSU seemed to have the set in hand, as Braun again took over with a pair of kills, an ace, and a block with Thomson-Moran to go up 24-22. In maintaining a fighting spirit, GSU fought off two set points, even taking the lead 25-24 in an effort to tie the match at 1-1. A pair of Glenville errors shut down the comeback attempt, as Lewis added a kill in leading Frostburg to an important 27-25 victory.
Not wanting another tense set and seeking to put the match to rest, the Bobcats unleashed a 10-2 run to start the third set, not giving the Pioneers a moment's rest. Thompson, Lewis, Thomson-Moran, and Braun totaled six kills, while the latter two also swatted down a trio of blocks in full command of the court. GSU got the deficit to six, but Frostburg was a team on a mission, with Delor, Braun, and Knieper all finding the floor, the latter also adding a block in going ahead 16-5. Glenville scored the next two points, but that would end up being the end of their night, as FSU won the final nine points to take the match sweep. Knieper and Braun each had a kill, with the former also having a solo block, as Thompson and Delor also combined on a stuff in winning 25-7.
Braun had an outstanding night, recording match-highs in kills (19), aces (3), and blocks (5), while making 11 digs, giving her over 1,000 for her career. Junior Fiona Gonzalez Medina and senior Katie Keech each also had 11 digs in the defensive effort, while Thomson-Moran, Delor, and Thompson all combined for 13 blocks.
With the win, Frostburg improves to 14-12 on the year, while Glenville falls to 8-16. FSU will next face Wheeling on the road Tuesday, October 31 for a 7 p.m. match. Information and updates will be posted at frostburgsports.com.
