PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Thanks in large part to an exceptionally effective offensive game plan, the Plattsburgh State volleyball team was able to get back on the winning track with a pair of 3-0 Friday night victories over Norwich and Plymouth State during the first day of the 2013 Best Western/Ground Round Cardinal Classic at Memorial Hall. 

MATCH ONE: Plattsburgh State 3, Norwich 0 (25-17, 25-7, 25-6)
Performing in front of a sizable congregation of Plattsburgh State well-wishers, the home team could seemingly do no wrong against the Cadets as they posted their most lopsided victory of the young 2013 season.

Sophomore Laura Diehl helped her squad jump out to a 7-2 lead in the opening stages of the first set. The Manorville, N.Y., product fired a pair of aces from behind the service line to compliment her first kill of the evening during the spurt.

The Cadets threatened for the only time in the three-set bout when they embarked on a 12-4 run that put the Cardinals in a 12-11 hole after a termination from Kelsey Mancini. From there, the Cardinals took over and never looked back.

Going on a 9-1 run fueled by five separate Norwich errors, the Cardinals extended their lead to 20-13 before putting the match away thanks to a kill from sophomore Jeanette Braun.

It was nothing short of total domination for the rest of the match as the Cardinals ripped off 14 consecutive points in the second frame to take a 15-1 lead. Junior Maggie Schrantz took up residence behind the service line during the decisive run, and racked up three service aces during that stretch.

The Cardinals took their largest lead of the set when consecutive service aces from Rosi Cummings made the set score 23-4 Plattsburgh State. Sophomore Kristen Marchisotto gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead when she earned a rare kill to close out the set.

Putting their offensive prowess on display, the Cardinals hit .444 in the second frame and limited the Cadets to a woeful mark of -.286.

It was more of the same for the Cardinals in the deciding set, as the home team opened up an 8-0 lead thanks in large part to a trio of service aces from junior Meghan Clifford.

Out of the six points Norwich was able to accumulate in the set, only one was the result of a positive offensive possession by the Cadets.

As a team, the Cardinals hit .347 in the one-sided affair. Cummings led the way with 12 kills, and four service aces, but she had plenty of help. Schrantz finished with 11 kills and a quartet of aces to her credit before completing her double-double bid with a match-high 10 digs. Clifford also finished with four service aces and a match-high 18 assists.

Plattsburgh State accumulated 16 service aces during the match and Diehl added a pair of solo blocks to the cause.
The Cadets were held to a -.130 attack percentage during the bout.

MATCH TWO: Plattsburgh State 3, Plymouth State 0 (25-15, 25-18, 27-25)
Facing a stiffer challenge than the Cadets posed in the first match of the evening, the Cardinals found themselves the victim as the Panthers took an early 4-1 lead before the home squad was able to adjust to the potent Plymouth State attack plan.

Embarking on a 6-1 run that featured two terminations each from Cummings and Schrantz and an additional one off the hand of Braun, the Cardinals took a 7-5 lead and would never trail again in the set.

Leading 13-10, the Cardinals extended their advantage with a 4-0 spurt which put Diehl on display once again. The sophomore smashed down a kill and came up with another service ace during that span.

Not wanting to replicate their start from the first set, the Cardinals came out as the aggressors in the second frame. Diehl was the primary catalyst during an opening 8-3 run as the sophomore chipped in a pair of kills, a solo block and a block assist to the cause.

Leading 13-8, senior Amanda Wickers took the offensive reins for the Cardinals during a 7-1 run that put the match out of reach for the Panthers. Wickers launched two consecutive service aces and followed those up with her only kill of the match through the course of the run.

Not going down without a fight, the Panthers made things interesting in the final frame before the Cardinals were finally able to dispatch their New Hampshire foes.

After the Cardinals took a 14-10 lead, Plymouth State made a bid for four-set volleyball with a strong 11-3 surge that put Plattsburgh State down 21-17.

With that, the Cardinals took it upon themselves to shore up the front row, making life miserable for the Plymouth State attackers. The Cardinals went on a 5-0 run that featured four consecutive blocks before Cummings capped off the spurt with another kill.

Down 24-22, the Cardinals turned to Cummings who responded with four kills to help the home team take down the Panthers, 27-25.

Hitting just .170, the Cardinals put up just enough offense to take the match. Cummings finished with a match- high 13 kills, two service aces, a solo block and four block assists. Diehl chipped in 11 kills on .421 hitting, four solo blocks and five block assists for the home team. Plattsburgh State racked up 16 blocks compared to just four by the Panthers.

Kaitlyn Coon had eight kills to lead the Panthers, who hit just .007 in the match.

The owners of a 2-0 record at their home tournament, the Cardinals will look to improve to 3-0 at the Cardinal Classic when they take on Elms College at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. If the Cardinals are able to defeat Elms, they will likely tangle with Saint Michael's for the title of Cardinal Classic champion later in the day.