SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team dropped a pair of matches at the Union Tri-Match on Saturday at the Viniar Athletic Center, falling to host Union, 3-0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-22), before dropping a 3-0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-17) decision to St. John Fisher College.
 
Plattsburgh State falls to 7-14 overall with the losses and next hosts Northern Vermont University-Johnson on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m. Union rises to 5-13 overall and next hosts Clarkson University on Friday, Oct. 22, while St. John Fisher climbs to 17-4 overall and next visits Nazareth College on Tuesday, Oct. 19.
 
Union 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-22)
 
The host Dutchwomen hit .113 en route to a straight-set win while also owning a 12-4 edge in service aces and a 67-60 margin in digs. The Cardinals finished with a 5-4 cushion in blocks.
 
Plattsburgh State jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the first set, with senior middle hitter Ann Beauchamp (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam) posting a solo block to cap a 6-0 run. The Cardinals kept the Dutchwomen at arm's length before a 9-1 Union surge tied the set at 18-all. After a Beauchamp kill and a service ace by sophomore setter Emma Rivers (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown West) put Plattsburgh State back up by two, Union scored three straight points to seize a 21-20 lead. A pair of Dutchwomen attacking errors put the Cardinals back out in front, but Union closed the set on a 4-0 surge to take the first, 25-22.
 
While kills by junior outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) and senior middle hitter Alicia Fisher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Science Skills) marked the first two points of the second set, Union countered with 10 unanswered points to take a 10-2 advantage. The Cardinals were unable to mount a rally the remainder of the set, as the Dutchwomen prevailed, 25-11, in the second.
 
Union scored the first six points of the third set, but a 5-1 Cardinal run cut the gap to 7-5. The two teams continued to trade points, and a kill by senior outside hitter/opposite Meghan O'Brien (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus) late in the set whittled the Dutchwomen's lead to 21-20. Union pulled ahead further with a 3-0 spurt, but Plattsburgh State drew within 24-22 following a Braun kill and a service ace by sophomore setter/defensive specialist Lily White (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs). Union closed out the match by winning the next rally.
 
Braun keyed the Cardinal attack with eight kills, while senior setter Allyssa Rock (West Chazy, N.Y./Beekmantown) and Rivers combined for 15 assists. Defensively, sophomore defensive specialist Shannon Fitzpatrick (Westtown, N.Y./Rhinebeck) defended 18 digs, while Beauchamp tallied four total blocks (one solo, three assist).
 
For Union, junior middle blocker Denesha Lafontant floored eight kills, while junior setter Haley Kresch handed out 16 assists, defended 13 digs and served up six aces. Senior defensive specialist Olivia Salvador keyed the back row defensively with 17 digs.
 
St. John Fisher 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-11, 25-17, 25-17)
 
St. John Fisher's offense fired on all cylinders, hitting .240 in the nightcap, and the Rochester-based Cardinals also finished with the upper hand in service aces (10-0) and digs (54-44). Plattsburgh State owned a 7-3 edge in blocks.
 
St. John Fisher fired the opening salvo in the first set, scoring the frame's first five points. O'Brien broke up the run with a kill and Fisher and Braun combined for a block assist, but St. John Fisher scored eight of the next nine points to claim a 13-3 advantage. St. John Fisher ended up winning the first by a 25-11 score.
 
After falling behind, 3-2, in the second set, sophomore defensive specialist/outside hitter Payton Zophy (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) tied the score with a kill before a St. John Fisher setting error and a block assist by Beauchamp and Braun handed Plattsburgh State a 5-3 advantage. St. John Fisher scored the next five points and did not relinquish the lead the remainder of the set, winning the second, 25-17.
 
Following a St. John Fisher kill to start the third, Plattsburgh State took a 2-1 lead after a Fisher kill and a block assist by Fisher and Braun. St. John Fisher regained the advantage with four straight points, and though Plattsburgh State did score three unanswered points midway through the frame on a Beauchamp kill and two St. John Fisher attacking errors, the Rochester-based Cardinals closed out the match with a 25-17 triumph in the third.
 
Braun and Beauchamp each floored five kills to lead the Plattsburgh State attack, while Rivers and senior setter/defensive specialist Olga Muka (Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity Diocesan) combined for 18 assists. Defensively, Fitzpatrick registered 13 digs, while Braun notched six block assists.
 
For St. John Fisher, senior outside hitter Alea Steigerwald posted a 10-kill, 16-dig double-double, while senior setter Katie Leaty and sophomore setter Kelly Taylor combined for 28 assists. First-year libero Brooke Segars led St. John Fisher at the service line with four aces.