Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team opened its 2019 season with a split at the Best Western Plus-Ground Round Cardinal Classic Friday at Memorial Hall, falling to Hartwick College, 3-2 (15-25, 25-15, 14-25, 25-23, 15-13), before topping The Sage Colleges, 3-1 (28-26, 20-25, 25-20, 20-17).
 
The Cardinals move to 1-1 overall with the results and finish out the event tomorrow with matches against Colby-Sawyer College (11 a.m.) and Plymouth State University (3 p.m.). Hartwick and Sage wrapped up the day at 1-1 and 0-2 overall, respectively.
 
Hartwick 3, Plattsburgh State 2 (15-25, 25-15, 14-25, 25-23, 25-13)
 
Hartwick used a decisive win in the second set and two-point victories in the fourth and fifth sets to come away with a win over the Cardinals in the Best Western Plus-Ground Round Cardinal Classic opener.
 
The Hawks hit .132 (47-27-151) for the match compared to a .086 (34-23-128) clip for the Cardinals. Plattsburgh State's front-row defense came up big in posting a 12-4 edge in blocks, while Hartwick defended 69 digs to the Cardinals' 59. Both teams excelled at the service line, with the Hawks landing 12 aces and the Cardinals recording 10.
 
Junior middle blocker Michelle Simmons (Riverside, Calif./Riverside Poly) led the Plattsburgh State attack with a team-high 11 kills and a .280 hitting percentage. Simmons also tallied career-high-tying nine total blocks (two solo, seven assist). Senior outside hitter Megan Hyde (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont) and junior outside hitter Rachel Mennonna (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) defended 18 digs apiece, which served as a career-high total for both, while freshman outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) registered seven kills and seven digs in her intercollegiate debut. Junior setter/defensive specialist Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) and senior setter/opposite Brianna Coon (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) dished out 19 and eight assists, respectively.
 
For Hartwick, junior outside hitter Maria Sorriento led the way with 17 kills and seven digs, while freshman outside hitter Colette Maloney notched a double-double with 12 kills and 13 digs. Junior libero/defensive specialist Katie Boak paced the back row defensively with 20 digs, while sophomore setter Kayley Ericson and sophomore outside hitter Kiera Walsh combined for 39 assists.
 
Plattsburgh State 3, Sage 1 (28-26, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17)
 
Plattsburgh State bounced back with a win in its second match of the day, hitting at a .169 clip for the contest to defeat Sage, 3-1.
 
The Cardinals held the upper hand in blocks (10-5), aces (15-10) and digs (81-80), and the Gators were limited to -.043 hitting in the third and fourth sets.
 
Mennonna keyed the Cardinals' offense with 14 kills and added 12 digs for a double-double. Hyde and Simmons floored 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while Rock and Coon combined for 37 assists. Defensively, Hyde topped her career-high in digs that she set earlier in the day with 20, while Rock (15), Coon (15), junior libero Abby Bone (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) (14) and Mennonna (12) joined her in double-digit dig figures.
 
For Sage, sophomore outside hitter/setter Emma Parkington led a balanced attack with nine kills, while junior setters Brooke Monty and Courtney Formosa combined for 32 assists running a 6-2 offense. Senior outside hitter Megan Ryder reinforced the back row with 21 digs.