PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team used a come-from-behind victory in the second set to spur its 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-13) sweep of Norwich University on Wednesday evening in non-conference action at Memorial Hall.

In the second set, the Cardinals used an 11-point surge to reverse a 22-14 deficit and ultimately take the set, 25-22. During that comeback run, junior outside hitter Megan Hyde (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont) posted four kills, while junior outside hitter Rachel Mennonna (Selden, N.Y./Newfield), junior middle blocker Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) and freshman outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) each floored a kill, with Braun's serving as the set-winning point.

Plattsburgh State improves to 7-11 overall with back-to back wins this week, as the Cardinals defeated Northern Vermont University-Johnson on Tuesday night in straight sets. The Cardinals return to action on Friday, Oct. 11, when they host Oswego State in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) match at 6 p.m. Norwich falls to 7-6 overall with the loss and competes next against Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday, Oct. 5. 

In the first set, it was a tight competition between the two teams, but Plattsburgh State pulled away midway through the stanza. Sparked by an eight-point run that included four kills from Hyde, the Cardinals staked themselves to an 18-10 advantage. Hyde brought up set point with two service aces after the two teams traded rallies, but Norwich rattled off four unanswered points to draw within six at 24-18. A Cadet service error handed Plattsburgh State a 25-18 victory in the first.

Plattsburgh State saw a reversal of fortunes midway through the second, as Norwich went on a 13-5 run to break open a 22-14 advantage. Simmons, Mennonna and Hyde each landed kills to start the Cardinal run before a service ace by junior setter Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) forced Norwich to use a timeout. Hyde registered a kill in three of the next four points, with her third termination tying the score at 22-all. Coming out of the Cadets' second timeout, Simmons gave the Cardinals the lead with a kill before Rock brought up set point with an ace. Braun was credited with a kill due to a Norwich net violation on the ensuing rally to hand Plattsburgh State a 25-22 victory in the second.

In the beginning of the third, the Cardinals took a 3-2 lead that they would not relinquish the remainder of the set. An eight-point surge gave Plattsburgh State an 11-4 advantage, which was capped off by a Cadet attack error. Norwich was only able to score consecutive points twice in the set, and a service ace by Mennonna gave the Cardinals a match-clinching 25-13 victory in the third.

Plattsburgh State finished with a 7-6 edge in blocks, a 14-3 advantage in service aces and a 52-43 edge in digs. The Cardinals wound up hitting .220 for the match, which included a 17-kill second set.

Hyde ignited the Cardinal attack with 12 kills and a .417 hitting percentage and completed the double-double with 14 digs. Rock quarterbacked the offense to the tune of a season-high 31 assists and added two kills, three service aces and five digs. The Cardinals' defense was led by junior libero Abby Bone (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) and Simmons, who tallied 16 digs and five total blocks (one solo, four assist), respectively. Braun also finished with four block assists.

For Norwich, junior right side Kathryn Farnum led the Cadets with 13 kills, three digs and two block assists. Freshman right side Sarah Farnum had a strong performance with 25 assists, while senior defensive specialist Brianna Dawson and junior middle hitter Julia Schroeder led the Cadets' defense with 12 and 10 digs, respectively.

The contest was a Dig Pink match to raise money in the fight against breast cancer. All told, the Cardinals raised more than $1,000 for the Side-Out Foundation, which will benefit breast cancer research.