ONEONTA, N.Y. – Despite finishing with a 6-4 edge in blocks, the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (25-13, 25-16, 25-19) State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) decision to SUNY Oneonta on Friday evening at Dewar Arena.
 
Oneonta outgained Plattsburgh State in service aces (8-6) and digs (54-48) while authoring a .248 hitting percentage. The Red Dragons hit .500 in the first set on 17 kills and two errors in 30 total attempts.
 
Plattsburgh State drops to 7-14 overall (0-6 SUNYAC) with the loss and next visits SUNY New Paltz tomorrow at 1 p.m. Oneonta rises to 18-6 overall (5-3 SUNYAC) with the win and hosts SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 1 p.m.
 
The Red Dragons came out firing on all cylinders in the first set, building a 6-1 lead early. With Oneonta up big in the set, junior middle blocker Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) helped the Cardinals win four straight points on the strength of two service aces and a kill to trim the gap to 23-12. Oneonta ended up prevailing, 25-13, in the first.
 
While Oneonta led 13-8 to start out the second, Plattsburgh State scored four straight points, and a block assist by junior setter/defensive specialist Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) and Simmons drew the Cardinals within 13-12. The Cardinals hung around until a five-point Red Dragon surge broke open a 23-15 advantage for the home team. After being sided out thanks to a kill by sophomore middle blocker Ann Beauchamp (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam), Oneonta capped off the set by winning the next two points.
 
Oneonta constructed an 8-1 cushion in the third and led by as many as nine points in the set, but Plattsburgh State stormed back with a 5-0 run, and a block assist by sophomore middle blocker Tara McGovern (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem North) and Simmons whittled the deficit to 19-15. After the Red Dragons scored the next two points, a McGovern solo block, a Red Dragon setting error and a Simmons ace trimmed the gap to 21-18. Oneonta scored four of the next five points to take a match-clinching 25-19 victory in the third.
 
Beauchamp led the Cardinals with five kills, while Simmons finished with five service aces and four total blocks (two solo, two assist). Rock handed out 15 assists, while senior outside hitter Megan Hyde (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont) paced the back row defensively with a match-high 19 digs.
 
For Oneonta, sophomore outside hitter Adriana Losier keyed the attack with 15 kills and a .342 hitting percentage, while senior setter Jessica Fowler doled out 35 assists. Freshman defensive specialist/libero Carsyn Rachuta notched three service aces and defended 10 digs, while senior defensive specialist Lindsay Pelaccio registered 14 digs.