SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team split a pair of matches at the Union/Russell Sage Crosstown Challenge on Saturday afternoon at Union College's Viniar Athletic Center, falling to Hartwick College, 3-1 (25-14, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14), before topping Russell Sage College, 3-1 (28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23).
 
Plattsburgh State moves to 6-4 overall with the results and next visits Northern Vermont University-Johnson on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. Hartwick rises to 8-1 overall with the win and next hosts St. John Fisher College in its Empire 8 opener on Friday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m., while Russell Sage drops to 3-9 overall with the loss and next hosts Bard College on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m.
 
Hartwick 3, Plattsburgh State 1 (25-14, 25-22, 20-25, 25-14)
 
After nearly taking the second set, Plattsburgh State finally took a frame from Hartwick by winning the third, 25-20. The Hawks relied on .308 hitting in the fourth, however, to pull out the four-set win.
 
Hartwick hit .195 for the match, while a .211 hitting percentage in the third kept Plattsburgh State in the positive with a .022 mark for the contest. The Hawks outgained the Cardinals in service aces (10-7), blocks (9-4) and digs (60-59) as well.
 
Senior outside hitter/opposite Meghan O'Brien (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus) keyed the Cardinal attack with 10 kills, while first-year setter/opposite Alexys Hawks (Beekmantown, N.Y./Beekmantown) dished out 17 assists to lead Plattsburgh State's 6-2 offense. Defensively, sophomore defensive specialist Shannon Fitzpatrick (Westtown, N.Y./Rhinebeck) defended a career-high 22 digs, while junior outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) posted three block assists.
 
For Hartwick, senior middle hitter/right side Myla Dobson led the way with 12 kills and a .304 hitting percentage, while freshman setter Braelyn Hornick distributed 35 assists, defended eight digs, posted five block assists and served up four aces. Junior libero/defensive specialist Sarah Petz paced the back row defensively with 13 digs.
 
Plattsburgh State 3, Russell Sage 1 (28-26, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23)
 
In the second match of the afternoon, each set was decided by just two points, as the Cardinals eked out the win to salvage the split.
 
Plattsburgh State hit .180 against Russell Sage and also held the upper hand in blocks (8-6). Russell Sage outgained Plattsburgh State in digs (82-67), while each team had eight service aces.
 
Braun led the Cardinal offense with a career-high 19 kills and a .395 hitting percentage, while sophomore defensive specialist/outside hitter Payton Zophy (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and senior opposite Kaitlyn Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) also had double figures in kills with 13 and 10, respectively. Sophomore setter Emma Rivers (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown West) and Hawks each notched career-high totals in assists, with Rivers doling out 24 and Hawks dishing out 20. Zophy and Hawks completed their double-doubles with 19 and 13 digs, respectively, while Fitzpatrick tallied 15 digs. Senior middle hitter Alicia Fisher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Science Skills) paced the front row defensively with a career-high eight total blocks (three solo, five assist).
 
For Russell Sage, senior outside hitter/setter Emma Parkington landed 17 kills and defended 16 digs, while junior outside hitter Sydney Shepard and senior middle hitter Celia Gagnon posted 14 and 12 kills, respectively. Sophomore right side Statia Walker handed out 42 assists, while junior defensive specialist Elaina Moisidis registered a match-high 25 digs.