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PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team moved to .500 on the season Friday night, knocking off Elms College, 3-0 (25-10, 25-7, 25-13), in the opening match of the Best Western Plus-Ground Round Cardinal Classic at Memorial Hall.
The Cardinals hit at a .310 clip in their home opener while limiting the Blazers to -.113 hitting. Plattsburgh State also held the upper hand in blocks (2-0), service aces (12-1) and digs (34-22).
Plattsburgh State rises to 5-5 overall with the win and finishes out play at the event tomorrow, facing Utica College at 11 a.m. followed by a 1:30 p.m. encounter with Southern Vermont College. Elms drops to 1-7 with the loss and meets up with Southern Vermont (11 a.m.) and Utica (1:30 p.m.) tomorrow.
After Elms challenged early in the first, Plattsburgh State went on a 7-0 run to mount a 10-4 advantage. The Blazers stayed within striking distance until the Cardinals rattled off six points to open up a 19-8 lead. Elms scored just two more points the rest of the set, as Plattsburgh State claimed the first stanza, 25-10.
The Blazers once again hung tough early in the second, going on a 3-1 spurt to pull within six at 13-7. Plattsburgh State, however, finished off the set with a 12-0 run, and back-to-back service aces by freshman outside hitter/right side
Hunter Grotjohn (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) gave the Cardinals a 25-7 victory in the second.
Back-and-forth play marked the beginning of the third, with the two teams trading points. Elms drew within three (14-11) after going on a 4-1 tear, but a Blazer ball-handling error and kills by freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist
Brianna Coon (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) and freshman middle hitter
Tatyana Barlow (Palmdale, Calif./Pete Knight) opened up a 17-11 Cardinal lead and forced an Elms timeout. After Elms scored two of the next three points, Plattsburgh State ended the match by scoring seven consecutive points, and a kill by Coon completed the third-set tally of 25-13.
Sophomore outside hitter
Sam Colombo (Patchogue, N.Y./Bellport) assembled a .522 hitting percentage off 12 kills in 23 total attempts, while sophomore setter
Sydney Gabriel (Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side) dished out 22 assists and added three service aces. Junior defensive specialist
Jordynne Ales (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) posted 10 digs to pace the back row defensively, while Gabriel assisted on both of Plattsburgh State's blocks.
For Elms, freshman middle hitter Haley Asselin hit .400 (4-0-10), while freshman outside hitter Hannah Adams defended six digs.
