By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Falcons swooped into the Hive wreaking havoc on Moorefield Volleyball senior night by rallying from a one set deficit to be the party crashers with a 3-1 victory: 15-25, 25-19, 27-25 and 25-16.
Frankfort not only ruined senior night, but ended the Yellow Jackets’ three game winning streak to conclude the season.
“[Serve-receive] It was very important. We had to get a good pass to get a good swing on the ball. [Keys] Moorefield covers the floor well and they pick up a lot, so we had to find their holes and execute on that. [Paula Ganoe] She was born on fire. She did a great job tonight,” Frankfort coach Brooke Alkire-Higson noted.
The Yellow Jackets honored their senior duo: CiCi Kump and Raleigh Kuykendall.
“It is an honor to be part of the Moorefield Volleyball program and it is a really fun experience that I will never forget,” Moorefield Volleyball senior CiCi Kump remarked.
“It has been a great year with a bunch of great girls. It will honestly be an experience I will never forget. It has been a great four years and a great ride,” Moorefield Volleyball senior Raleigh Kuykendall added.
Kump is the MHS National Honor Society president, Class of 2026 vice president and student council member.
Kump plans to attend James Madison University to major in sports medicine.
Kump’s advice for the underclassmen: “Remember, every early morning and tough practice is worth it. Keep pushing, because one day you’ll be the one standing here wishing you could do it all again.”
Kuykendall is a member of the MHS NHS and student council.
Kuykendall plans to attend West Virginia University and major in health and well-being as a stepping stone to becoming a physician assistant specializing in aesthetics.
Kuykendall’s advice for the underclassmen: “You don’t get to rewind. Soak up the warmups, the early morning practices, the bus rides, the late nights, and the laughs in the locker room. It goes by so fast.”
It appeared the Yellow Jackets (11-12) would provide a winning gift to the seniors after collecting the first set, but the Falcons (8-21) turned the tide with their talons shredding the Hive.
Frankfort grabbed a 3-1 edge in the first set, but the Yellow Jackets swarmed back as Annie Barr delivered four aces around a dink by Kuykendall to commandeer a 7-3 lead.
The Moorefield student section was loud and jumping in front of the bleachers, then given a warning to back up in the first row to clear the floor for the safety of players chasing down an errant volley.
Moorefield’s Brenna See served two aces and an attack by Lexi Vanmeter was returned into the net for a 13-6 lead.
After a Moorefield miscue, Frankfort’s Paula Ganoe spiked the ball.
The Yellow Jackets countered with a tap point from Vanmeter and a kill by See.
Moorefield’s Emmy Crites kept the ball served in play as Vanmeter’s next volley was returned into the net.
Vanmeter blocked a shot, then See made a pair of digs before another attack by Vanmeter pushed the Yellow Jackets up 19-8.
Frankfort’s Angel Arnold had a volley come back into the net.
Barr landed a spike, then Vanmeter served an ace.
The Falcons responded with a kill from Ganoe and an ace served by Arianna Sillingburg, 21-11.
Kuykendall spiked the ball and Kump served with Barr making a Colley that was blocke out of bounds.
Kuykendall blocked a shot to extend the lead to 24-11.
After a service error, Frankfort collected three more points as Ganoe made two spikes and Sophie Young served an ace.
The Yellow Jackets closed the first set with a tap by See that was met with a dig by Dayana Imes, but failed to clear the net, 25-15.
Frankfort started the second set with a 4-nil edge on service points by Shillingburg, a block by Ganoe and spike by Young.
There was a service error, then a tap by Ganoe was met on a dig by Kump, but wasn’t cleared over the net.
Kump made a great save near the bench, then Barr created an attack point.
An attack by Kuykendall was returned into the net, 5-3.
The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 9-8 on a spike by Barr.
Frankfort’s Rilynn Miller blocked a shot, then Ganoe notched a spike moment after a save by Crites.
See made a sliding save, but went under the net.
Vanmeter blocked a shot and served up an ace for a 12-10 score.
The Falcons countered with the help of an error prior to Ganoe’s spike and ace from Shillingburg to go up 15-10.
Moorefield whittled the gap down again as Kuykendall made several attacks and an ace along with a block by See for a 17-16 score.
Frankfort five straight points which included two aces by Lily Mantheiy and attacks by Arnold for a 24-18 edge.
The Falcons finished the second set with a block by Kaitlyn Hudson with a dig by Vanmeter not returned, 25-19.
It was a wild third set with 11 ties as the Falcons just barely survived for a 27-25 win.
Frankfort started with an ace from Young, then See made a dig and Kuykendall slammed the ball.
After a service error, See blocked a volley, 2-2.
See made a push point after a dig from Liddy Keplinger, but the next serve was swallowed by the net, 3-all.
Frankfort went up with aid of errors, then committed thrice with the latter off an attack by Keplinger.
Keplinger blocked a shot to put Moorefield up 7-5, but the Falcons came back to tie it on a kill by Ganoe.
An attack from Vanmeter was returned into the net.
Arnold serve two aces to build a 13-8 lead for Frankfort., then the Yellow Jackets fought back for a 14-13 deficit which included three aces by Vanmeter, plus kills by Barr and Kuykendall.
Kidwell delivered two aces to tie the set at 16-all, then both teams committed errors.
Kuykendall, See and Vanmeter notched attacks to go up 20-18.
The Falcons tied the set on an error and kill by Arnold.
Moorefield regained the lead with an error and ace from Crites.
A dynamic spike from Kuykendall put the Yellow Jackets ahead 24-21.
However, the Yellow Jackets couldn’t close out the match point as the Falcons arose with the help of error and attack by Ganoe.
A volley by Kuykendal was returned into the net after a dig for a 25-24 score, but a spike by Ganoe tied it up.
The Falcons closed out the third set with two more kills from Ganoe, 27-25.
Moorefield took a 4-2 lead in the fourth set which included an ace by Kump and attack point from Kuykendall.
A block by Frankfort’s Arnold tied the set, then See’s volley ricocheted off a dig out.
The Falcons tied the et again with an error off a dig by Kidwell.
Frankfort took a 10-6 lead with attacks by Young, Grogg and Ganoe, plus an ace by Mantheiy.
Attacks by Kuykendall and Vanmeter helped close the gap to 15-12, but the Falcons would counter with spikes by Young and Arnold.
Mantheiy served up an ace, followed by kills from Ganoe for take a 21-13 lead.
Crites made a dig and Kump tapped the ball over for a point, 21-15.
The Falcons finished off the match with a spike by Ganoe, 25-16, 3-1.
Moorefield’s seniors leave behind a legacy with state tournament visits, but hope for one last ride to Charleston.
