PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Despite nearly winning the first set, the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team fell, 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-15), to SUNY Cortland in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Hall.
 
Cortland finished with a .250 hitting percentage and outgained the Cardinals in service aces (14-2), blocks (4-3) and digs (54-44). Plattsburgh State, meanwhile, hit .131 for the match, which included a .179 clip in the first set.
 
Plattsburgh State falls to 7-13 overall (0-5 SUNYAC) with the loss and visits SUNY Oneonta next on Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. Cortland rises to 20-7 overall (4-1 SUNYAC) with the win and visits Fredonia next on Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m.
 
The Cardinals made a statement early, hopping out to a 5-0 lead in the first set. The Red Dragons charged back and took an 8-7 advantage, but the Cardinals went on a 6-2 surge to stake themselves to a 13-10 cushion. A block assist by sophomore middle blocker Ann Beauchamp (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam) and junior setter/defensive specialist Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) capped off the run. The two teams battled back and forth until Cortland closed the stanza on a 3-0 tear to take the first set, 25-22.
 
While Cortland scored the first five points of the second set, freshman outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) and junior middle blocker Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) posted back-to-back kills to put Plattsburgh State on the board. The Red Dragons sided out the Cardinals before senior setter Gabby Amelio took to the service line and helped break the set open with three service aces as a part of a 10-0 run. Cortland ended up winning the second, 25-11.
 
Both teams traded points early in the third before five straight rallies that went in the Red Dragons' favor gave the visitors a 14-8 lead. Another five-point spurt handed Cortland a 21-12 advantage, and that gap wound up being enough, as the Red Dragons clinched the match win with a 25-15 victory in the third.
 
Simmons and Braun each landed seven kills to lead the Cardinals' offense, with Braun's total matching her career-high. Rock distributed 20 assists, while junior libero Abby Bone (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) defended a match-high 17 digs.
 
For Cortland, sophomore outside hitter Hannah Southcott and senior outside hitter/opposite Nadia Moore each recorded 11 kills, while Southcott completed the double-double with 10 digs. Senior setter Malley Bowen and Amelio combined for 38 of Cortland's 40 assists, while Amelio served up six aces. Defensively, sophomore outside hitter/opposite Maya Owens and sophomore middle blocker Camryn Anderson each tallied three block assists, while freshman libero/defensive specialist Carly Haegele defended 14 digs.