UNION, N.J. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team fell twice to open up the Cougar Classic hosted by Kean University on Friday, falling, 3-2 (26-24, 20-25, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7), to New York University before dropping a 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-19) decision to the University of Scranton.
 
Plattsburgh State falls to 2-4 overall with the losses and close out action at the Cougar Classic tomorrow with matches against Hood College (12 p.m.) and host Kean (2 p.m.). NYU rises to 2-4, while Scranton rises to 7-0.
 
NYU 3, Plattsburgh State 2 (26-24, 20-25, 25-16, 21-25, 15-7)
 
Plattsburgh State lost a heartbreaking five-set match in its first contest of the day, as the Cardinals used a strong performance at the service line to compete. Plattsburgh State finished with an 8-5 edge in service aces, but NYU hit .142 to the Cardinals' .119 clip and outgained Plattsburgh State in blocks (10-8) and digs (86-69).
 
The Cardinals used a pair of 4-0 runs to seize the momentum in the first set, and a Violet attacking error put Plattsburgh State in front, 16-11. NYU scored five straight points to tie the score at 16-all, and back-and-forth play ensued before sophomore middle hitter/right side Dani Borunda (Salt Lake City, Utah/West) brought up set point at 24-23 with a kill. NYU countered with three straight points to close the set, however, and won the frame by a score of 26-24.
 
Each side went on a long unanswered run early in the second set, and after trading points, the Cardinals went up for good in the stanza with a 4-0 spurt. A block assist by Borunda and senior right side Lexi Pascal (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley) staked Plattsburgh State to a 19-16 lead. NYU was never able to close the gap, and a solo block by Borunda handed the Cardinals a 25-20 victory in the second.
 
NYU never trailed in the third set, hitting .206 during the frame. The Violets continued extending their lead until a block assist by sophomore middle hitter Kelsey Kraetz and sophomore right side/outside hitter Sabrina Krebs cemented a 25-16 triumph for NYU in the third.
 
The turning point in the fourth set came early on, as Plattsburgh State went on a 5-0 run, and a block assist by freshman middle hitter/right side Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) and sophomore outside hitter/right side Hunter Grotjohn (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) handed the Cardinals a 13-9 lead. While NYU came within striking distance a few times, three consecutive Plattsburgh State points late in the set gave the Cardinals sufficient cushion to pull out a 25-21 victory.
 
NYU jumped out to a fast start in the fifth and led 8-3 at the switch. Down 12-4, the Cardinals showed life with three straight points, and a service ace by freshman outside hitter Rachel Mennonna (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) drew the Cardinals within five at 12-7 and forced a Violet timeout. NYU regrouped and closed the match with three unanswered points, winning the deciding set, 15-7.
 
Borunda led the Cardinal attack with a career-high 14 kills and a .308 hitting percentage, while Grotjohn posted a double-double with 13 kills and 13 digs. Freshman setter Alyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) also had a double-double with 40 assists and 15 digs, while Pascal had arguably the best defensive match of her collegiate career with 12 digs and six blocks. Sophomore libero Bryanne Yasui (Honolulu, Hawaii/Moanalua) registered the team-high in digs with 17, while Simmons tallied three blocks to go along with her 10 kills.
 
For NYU, senior middle hitter Rayne Ellis pounded out 20 kills, while freshman outside hitter Lauren Ward added 10 terminations. Junior setter Kathryn Goyette distributed 34 assists, while junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Nazzerine Waldon and junior setter Daryl Mitchell defended 28 and 20 digs, respectively.
 
Scranton 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-19)
 
Scranton took advantage of a fatigued Plattsburgh State team in the nightcap and remained undefeated thanks to a potent offense and a stout defense.
 
The Royals hit .220 while limiting the Cardinals to -.054 hitting. Scranton also held the upper hand in service aces (11-3) and blocks (8-0), but Plattsburgh State finished with a 45-43 cushion in digs.
 
Grotjohn and Simmons led the Cardinals with five and four digs, respectively, while Rock doled out 15 assists. Yasui and sophomore right side/setter Brianna Coon (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) recorded 10 digs apiece, with Coon's total serving as a career-high.
 
For Scranton, junior outside hitter Kristin Kirwan floored 17 kills and hit .406, while sophomore middle hitter Victoria Capogna served up six aces. Freshman defensive specialist Regina Schetroma and junior outside hitter Megan Monastra paced the back row defensively with 12 and 11 digs, respectively, while freshman setter Kindler Norman handed out 28 assists.