FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The West Virginia State University women's volleyball team saw its season come to an end Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Mountain East Conference Women's Volleyball Championship, falling to Fairmont State University 3-0.
Carmen Pérez had 10 kills and 19 digs to lead the Yellow Jackets, while Maya Vilmar added seven kills and three block assists. Ahaziah Smith and Marcelina Pyka also had three block assists, with Smith adding a solo block to go along with her three kills. Lilly Adkins and Audrey Buck both had 14 digs for the Yellow Jackets.
Fairmont State took an early 8-4 lead before three straight WVSU points brought the Yellow Jackets back to within 8-7. After WVSU fell behind 15-10 heading into a timeout, the Yellow Jackets scored four of the next five points, including a block by Vilmar and Pyka, with Pyka also picking up a kill to make it 16-14 Fighting Falcons.
Three straight Fighting Falcons points gave them a 19-14 lead that they extended to 23-17. After a kill by Pérez, Fairmont State scored to reach set point at 24-18. The Yellow Jackets got another point off a Fairmont State attack error, but the Fighting Falcons took the final point, winning the set 25-19.
The Fighting Falcons scored four of the first five points of the second set before a 3-1 WVSU scoring run featuring a pair of kills by Vilmar, along with a Deniz Akgul kill, brought WVSU to within 5-4. Fairmont State controlled the remainder of the set, using 14 kills and four blocks along with just two attack errors to win the set 25-12, taking a 2-0 match lead.
Fairmont State scored the first three points of the third set before a Smith kill and Pérez service ace brought the Yellow Jackets to within 3-2. Fairmont State attempted to pull away again, taking a 12-6 lead before an 8-4 WVSU scoring run allowed WVSU to pull to within 16-14.
After Fairmont State's lead reached 19-14, WVSU went on a 7-2 scoring run thanks to two Pérez kills, as well as a pair of kills from Inka Oksanen, to tie the set at 21. Fairmont State reached set point at 24-22, causing WVSU to take a timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Smith picked up a solo block to make the score 24-23, but one final Fighting Falcons kill gave Fairmont State the set and the match.
