PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team split to close out action at the Best Western Plus-Ground Round Cardinal Classic on Saturday at Memorial Hall, falling to Wheaton (Mass.) College, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 26-24), before topping The Sage Colleges, 3-1 (25-10, 25-18, 24-26, 25-15). The Cardinals finished 2-2 at the classic, as they defeated SUNY Canton and lost to Plymouth State University yesterday.
 
Sophomore libero Bryanne Yasui (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team due to her efforts throughout the weekend, and she was joined on the All-Tournament Team by senior libero Stephanie Martin (MVP) and sophomore setter Becca Houghton from Wheaton, senior setter Megan Bailey from Plymouth State, senior setter/middle hitter Alyssa Nellis from Sage, sophomore outside hitter/right side Shea Norton from Canton and senior outside hitter/middle hitter Kelsey Tompkins from SUNY Potsdam. Wheaton won the Best Western Plus-Ground Round Cardinal Classic title by going 4-0.
 
The Cardinals move to 2-2 overall with the results and visit the Garden State next from Friday-Saturday, Sept. 8-9, at Kean University's Cougar Classic. Wheaton rises to 4-0, while Sage drops to 0-4.
 
Wheaton (Mass.) 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-20, 25-16, 26-24)
 
In the first match of the day against Wheaton, the Cardinals were unable to get the offense going against a stout Lyon defense. In a match in which both teams battled defensively, Wheaton hit .150 (38-21-113), while Plattsburgh State hit .065 (20-13-108). Wheaton also held the upper hand in service aces (9-8), blocks (7-3) and digs (61-50).
 
The Lyons used a big run midway through the first set to fire the opening salvo. After Plattsburgh State tied the score at 12-all, Wheaton went on an 8-2 spurt to capture a 20-14 advantage. The Cardinals pulled within three at 23-20, but Wheaton scored the frame's final two points to take the set, 25-20.
 
While the Cardinals shot out to a 7-2 lead in the second, the Lyons went on a 9-1 tear to capture an 11-8 lead. Wheaton then scored in bunches and wound up taking the second set, 25-16.
 
After Wheaton took a 10-5 advantage in the third, Plattsburgh State rattled off 10 straight points, and a kill by sophomore outside hitter/right side Hunter Grotjohn (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) gave the Cardinals a 15-10 lead. Wheaton chipped away at the deficit, though, and it registered four unanswered points to take a 24-22 edge. A kill by freshman outside hitter Rachel Mennonna (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) and a Lyon attacking error knotted the tally at 24-all, but a service error and a kill gave the Lyons a match-clinching 26-24 win.
 
Grotjohn paced the Cardinal attack with six kills, while freshman setter Alyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) dished out 18 assists. Yasui defended 14 digs, while Mennonna floored three service aces.
 
For Wheaton, freshman right side Julia Palomba and junior middle hitter Claire Cansler boasted eight kills each, while Houghton distributed 20 assists. Martin paced the back row defensively with 23 digs.
 
Plattsburgh State 3, Sage 1 (25-10, 25-18, 24-26, 25-15)
 
Plattsburgh State enjoyed its best offensive output of the tournament against Sage, hitting .226 for the match. The Cardinals outgained the Gators in service aces (12-5), blocks (4-3) and digs (64-62) and limited Sage to .023 hitting.
 
The first set was all Plattsburgh State, as the Cardinals hit .333 compared to the Gators' -.261 clip. Sage was within striking distance until eight unanswered Plattsburgh State points gave the Cardinals a 19-8 advantage. The Cardinals took the first set, 25-10.
 
Sage battled early in the second set, though the Cardinals scored six straight points, and a kill by senior right side Lexi Pascal (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley) gave Plattsburgh State an 18-10 lead. While Sage came within four points of Plattsburgh State, the Cardinals pulled away and won the set, 25-18.
 
A back-and-forth battle ensued in the third set, as the Cardinals reversed a 19-14 deficit into a 22-19 lead thanks to eight consecutive points. After each team sided each other out once, Sage tied the score at 23-all with three straight points. A Gator attacking error brought up match point, but Sage ended up living to see another set due to a 3-0 run.
 
Plattsburgh State scored in bunches in the fourth set, scoring three or more consecutive points on four different occasions. While Sage kept itself within arm's length most of the set, the Cardinals closed the match on a 6-1 run, and sophomore middle hitter/right side Dani Borunda (Salt Lake City, Utah/West) scored the decisive point with a kill.
 
Mennonna led the Cardinal offense with 15 kills, while Grotjohn and Pascal tallied 10 kills each. Grotjohn completed the double-double with 20 digs, while Rock finished with a double-double as well, dishing out 43 assists and defending 10 digs. Yasui tallied 19 digs, while freshman middle hitter/right side Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) continued the strong start to her freshman season with three total blocks (two solo, one assist).
 
For Sage, Nellis finished with nine kills and 16 digs.