PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team topped Northern Vermont University-Johnson in straight sets (25-18, 25-13, 25-19) on Tuesday evening in non-conference action at Memorial Hall.
 
The Cardinals limited NVU-Johnson to -.009 hitting for the match and held the upper hand in blocks (11-4) and service aces (5-3). The Badgers finished with a 55-48 advantage in digs.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 6-11 overall with the win and hosts Norwich University tomorrow in its Dig Pink match at 6 p.m. NVU-Johnson drops to 8-7 overall with the loss and next competes in a tri-match on Saturday, Oct. 5, against Salem State University (1 p.m.) and the Wentworth Institute of Technology (3 p.m.).
 
The Cardinals raced out to a 7-1 lead in the first set, but the Badgers countered with five unanswered points to trim the gap to 7-6. Plattsburgh State then rattled off four straight points, during which junior outside hitter Rachel Mennonna (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) floored two kills and assisted on a block with sophomore middle blocker Ann Beauchamp (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam). NVU-Johnson hung around as the two teams traded points before the Cardinals broke open a 24-14 lead on the strength of an eight-point surge. While the Badgers went on a 4-0 spurt to pull within six at 24-18, a service error gave the first set to the Cardinals, 25-18.
 
Plattsburgh State dominated the early stages of the second set, rattling off 10 straight points. Freshman outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) and Beauchamp combined for a block assist to push the Cardinals' edge to 11-2. While the Badgers got the serve back on a service error, Plattsburgh State opened up a 16-3 advantage with five straight points and wound up cruising to a 25-13 victory in the second.
 
Both teams traded momentum and runs for most of the third set, as there were eight tie scores and four lead changes during the stanza. While junior libero Abby Bone (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) staked the Cardinals to a 10-6 lead with a service ace, the Badgers battled back and eventually took a 14-13 advantage on a Plattsburgh State attack error. After the Cardinals went ahead with two straight points, NVU-Johnson tied the score two more times before a three-point Plattsburgh State surge gave the home team a 19-16 lead. The Cardinals never trailed from that point forward, and a block assist by sophomore outside hitter/opposite Kaitlyn Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) and sophomore middle blocker Tara McGovern (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) handed Plattsburgh State a match-clinching 25-19 win in the third.
 
Mennonna led a balanced Plattsburgh State attack with eight kills, while junior setter/defensive specialist Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) dished out 20 assists. Junior middle blocker Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) hit .455 for the match with five kills and no errors in 11 total attempts, while senior outside hitter Megan Hyde (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont) defended a match-high 18 digs. Beauchamp reinforced the Cardinals' stout presence at the net with six block assists, while Braun finished with four block assists.
 
For NVU-Johnson, junior defensive specialist/outside hitter/right side Lauren Havill floored a match-high 10 kills, while freshman setter/defensive specialist Mason Lores distributed 25 assists. Havill completed the double-double with 14 digs, while senior outside hitter Nikola Knapova also registered 14 digs.