PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team honored its seniors in grand fashion, as the Cardinals topped Buffalo State, 3-1 (25-21, 21-25, 25-21, 25-17), in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action Friday evening on Senior Night at Memorial Hall. It marked the Cardinals' first SUNYAC win of the season.
 
Prior to the start of the match, the Cardinals honored their two seniors: setter/opposite Brianna Coon (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) and outside hitter Megan Hyde (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont).
 
Plattsburgh State hit .218 as a team and outgained Buffalo State in blocks (10-4). The Bengals finished with an 85-79 edge in digs and an 11-10 advantage in service aces.
 
The Cardinals rise to 8-16 overall (1-7 SUNYAC) with the win and host Fredonia tomorrow in their SUNYAC and home finale at 1 p.m. at Memorial Hall. Buffalo State falls to 6-15 overall (0-8 SUNYAC) with the loss and visits SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 1 p.m.
 
Both teams traded points early in the first set, and a 3-0 run that was capped off by a Hyde kill staked Plattsburgh State to an 18-15 lead, prompting a Buffalo State timeout. The Bengals stayed within arm's length of the Cardinals and trimmed the gap to 23-21 following a kill by senior outside hitter/right side Eimile O'Brien, but an attack error and a serving miscue handed Plattsburgh State a 25-21 win in the first.
 
Buffalo State broke open the second set with a 6-0 spurt, and a kill by sophomore outside hitter Alena McKelvey gave the Bengals a 13-5 lead. It appeared as though Buffalo State had the set in hand up 22-14, but Plattsburgh State scored six straight points, two of which came from Hyde, to draw within 22-20. O'Brien gave the Bengals the serve back with a kill, and while sophomore middle blocker Ann Beauchamp (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam) countered with a kill of her own, senior middle blocker Bryanna Fisher accounted for the final two points of the set to seal a 25-21 victory for Buffalo State in the second.
 
Plattsburgh State reversed a 12-8 Buffalo State lead in the third, using an 8-1 run to construct a three-point lead. Hyde punctuated the tear with a kill, giving the Cardinals a 16-13 advantage. The Bengals clawed back, and a 5-1 Buffalo State surge gave the visitors a 20-18 cushion. Junior outside hitter Rachel Mennonna (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) keyed a five-point Plattsburgh State run in retaliation, as Mennonna floored three kills during the spurt. While O'Brien sided out the Cardinals to draw Buffalo State within two, a Beauchamp kill and a Mennonna service ace gave Plattsburgh State a 25-21 triumph in the third.
 
While the two teams traded points for the early stages of the fourth set, a 6-0 Plattsburgh State spurt, during which Hyde had three kills, handed the Cardinals a 17-10 lead. Buffalo State was unable to muster a comeback, and the Cardinals ended up cruising to a match-clinching 25-17 victory in the fourth.
 
Hyde led the Cardinals with a 13-kill, 12-dig double-double, while Simmons floored 11 kills, fashioned a .333 hitting percentage and posted seven total blocks (one solo, six assist). Beauchamp registered a career-high 10 kills, while junior setter/defensive specialist Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) dished out a season-high 38 assists. Mennonna stuffed the stat sheet with seven kills, 17 digs and three service aces, while junior libero Abby Bone (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) defended a match-high 22 digs.
 
For Buffalo State, junior outside hitter Kayla Wolinski and O'Brien tallied 18 and 12 kills, respectively, while junior setter Brooke Federko doled out 40 assists. O'Brien and Federko completed their double-doubles with 18 and 10 digs, respectively.