GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University volleyball team fell to Frostburg State University, 3-1 on the first night of the Rowan Quad on Friday.
The Profs are now 13-9 on the year and the Bobcats are 7-15.
Rowan fell behind early in the opening set, 6-2. The Brown and Gold battled back to cut the deficit to 6-5. Opposite hitter
Kailey Gallagher (jr. Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), outside hitter
Megan Jacobi (jr. Nazareth, PA/ Nazareth Area) and outside hitter
Erin Keegan (sr. Fairfield, NJ/West Essex Reg.) all registered a kill during the three-point swing. The Profs suffered as the Bobcats rallied off five points to extend their lead, 11-5. The Rowan offense started rolling as it mounted a comeback to tie the match at 15. The Brown and Gold posted its first lead of the match, 20-16 after scoring five consecutive points. Keegan and Jacobi tallied one kill each, followed by a Frostburg State error. Middle hitter
Jamie Shirtz (sr. Mendham, NJ/West Morris Mendham) and Jacobi ended the run with one point apiece. The Brown and Gold faced some adversity late but edged the Bobcats out, 25-23.
Frostburg State started the next set with a five-point rally. After a pair of errors from Rowan, outside hitter Bailey Godlove (jr. Cumberland, MD/Fort Hill) served two aces, followed by a Profs' error. Rowan fought back to claim an 8-7 advantage. Jacobi ignited the run with a kill followed by an attack error by the Bobcats. Shirtz answered with an ace, followed by another Jacobi kill. The final three points came off a Frostburg State error, a Shirtz ace and a block from Jacobi. Both teams kept the score close, but the Bobcats notched the final three points to win, 25-22.
The third stanza was a battle from start to finish. Both teams traded points for the first half of the set before Frostburg State pulled ahead, 14-12. Rowan answered with a three-point run to take a 19-18 lead. Keegan added two kills and Shirtz recorded a block. The Brown and Gold slipped late as the Bobcats held onto the win, 25-23. Rowan stumbled in the fourth and final frame falling to Frostburg State, 25-12.
Gallagher finished the match with 12 kills, while Jacobi added 11 on a .250 hitting percentage. Setter
Tori Mock (so. Chadds Ford, PA/Archmere Academy (DE)) and setter Alaine Santacroce (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) dished out a combined 42 assists. Libero
Emma Cormican (so. Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven) amassed a game-high 28 digs, followed by Keegan with 21 digs and 11 kills.
For Frostburg State, middle hitter Biamba Tshitenge (jr. Germantown, MD/Northwest) notched 15 kills on a .364 hitting percentage. Setter Katie Onyundo (jr. Woodbridge, VA/Woodbridge) racked up 34 assists. Outside hitter Haley Altemus (fr. McDonald, PA/South Fayette) and libero Cori Smothers (jr. Fort Lauderdale, FL/Pompano Beach) ended with 18 digs apiece.
The Rowan volleyball team is back in action tomorrow for its final two matches against Eastern University at 11 a.m. and the University of Scranton at 2 p.m.
