Frostburg State University Women’s Volleyball lost to Wheeling 3-1 in the Mountain East Conference Tournament semifinals Thursday evening in Fairmont, W. Va. Wheeling won the match 25-22, 21-25, 25-15, 25-16, advancing to the MEC Championship match while Frostburg State finished the season 11-17.
Wheeling Pulls Away After Split
The teams traded points early in the opening set before Wheeling created separation with a 5-1 run for a 10-7 lead. Frostburg State rallied behind kills from Grace Yocham and Adele Evans, along with a block from Raegan Philips and Temerah Holloway, to take a 15-14 advantage. Wheeling answered late and secured the set 25-22.
Frostburg State responded in the second set after Wheeling opened with four of the first five points. McNair contributed a kill and two service aces during a run that pushed the Bobcats ahead 7-4, while Yocham and Evans added offensive points. Frostburg State held off a late Wheeling push and tied the match with a 25-21 second-set victory.
Wheeling Regains Momentum
Wheeling regained momentum in the third set, building a 9-3 lead. Frostburg State moved within two points at 12-10 after McNair helped fuel a five-point rally with two kills, but Wheeling took nine of the next 11 points and won the set 25-15. The Cardinals then turned a 3-3 tie into a 9-4 advantage in the fourth set and maintained control through a 25-16 finish.
Frostburg State Leaders
McNair led all players with 14 kills, while Grace Yocham finished with 12 and Adele Evans added nine. Frostburg State hit .198 for the match, compared with a .243 hitting percentage for Wheeling.
Maya Johnson led Frostburg State defensively with 16 digs, and Miranda Ball recorded 11. Johnson also added a kill and an ace, while Raegan Philips, Temerah Holloway and Gabrielle Morris contributed during the four-set match.
Frostburg State Reached MEC Semifinals
The semifinal appearance followed Frostburg State’s first-ever quarterfinal victory in the MEC Tournament. On Nov. 11, Frostburg State defeated South Division No. 1 seed Concord 3-1.
Wheeling entered the tournament as the North Division’s No. 2 seed with a 19-10 overall record and a 12-4 MEC record. The victory moved Wheeling to 20-10 and sent the Cardinals into the MEC Championship match.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Frostburg State University Women’s Volleyball reached the MEC semifinals after securing the program’s first-ever quarterfinal victory. Wheeling ended the tournament run with a four-set win, using its advantage in the final two sets to advance to the championship match.
McNair’s 14 kills led the match, while Johnson and Ball provided double-digit defensive totals for Frostburg State. The Bobcats finished with a .198 hitting percentage, compared with Wheeling’s .243 mark.
Source: Original report
