JOHNSON, Vt. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team dropped a 3-2 (20-25, 26-24, 25-15, 23-25, 15-8) decision to Northern Vermont University-Johnson in non-conference action on Tuesday evening at Carter Gymnasium.
 
NVU-Johnson hit .154 as a team and held the upper hand in digs (65-58). Plattsburgh State owned an 11-9 margin in service aces and an 8-6 cushion in blocks.

Plattsburgh State falls to 6-5 overall with the loss and next visits SUNY New Paltz for a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) match on Friday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. NVU-Johnson rises to 3-2 overall with the win and next visits Colby-Sawyer College on Thursday, Sept. 23.

The Cardinals kicked off the match by scoring its first six points, and a setting error staked the visitors to a 6-0 advantage. After two straight Badger points, the Cardinals went on a 3-0 tear, and while NVU-Johnson scored three consecutive points on two occasions down the stretch, Plattsburgh State took the first set, 25-20, following a setting error and an attack error.

NVU-Johnson hopped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set, but five straight Cardinal points that included two blocks and a kill by senior middle hitter Alicia Fisher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Science Skills) put Plattsburgh State out in front, 6-4. The two teams battled back and forth until the Cardinals opened up a 16-11 advantage. NVU-Johnson then scored six of the next seven points to tie the score at 17-all, and the two teams went point for point until the Badgers won two consecutive rallies to pull out a 26-24 victory in the second.

While both teams battled early in the third, NVU-Johnson took a 17-11 edge following five straight points. A service ace by senior outside hitter/opposite Meghan O'Brien (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus) capped off a 3-0 Cardinal surge to draw the visitors within three, but the Badgers rattled off seven unanswered points to close the set to prevail, 25-15, in the third.

A strong start by Plattsburgh State in the fourth set ultimately forced a deciding set. A Badger ball-handling error put the Cardinals up, 8-3, and Plattsburgh State continued to push forward, going on a 5-1 run to seize a 19-11 lead. NVU-Johnson went on an 8-1 tear to draw within 20-19, and an O'Brien kill stopped the run. The Badgers fired off four unanswered points to take the lead at 23-21, but the Cardinals finished off the set with four unanswered points. Fisher and junior outside hitter/opposite Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas) combined for a block assist on set point to hand Plattsburgh State the 25-23 set victory.

NVU-Johnson controlled the momentum of the fifth set from the opening serve of the frame, hopping out to a 7-1 advantage. The Cardinals scored consecutive points just twice in the set, as the Badgers won the match with a 15-8 triumph in the fifth.

O'Brien led the Cardinal attack with 10 kills, while sophomore setter Emma Rivers (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown West) dished out 14 assists. Defensively, sophomore defensive specialist/outside hitter Payton Zophy (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and sophomore defensive specialist Shannon Fitzpatrick (Westtown, N.Y./Rhinebeck) defended 18 and 16 digs, respectively, while Fisher finished with six total blocks (four solo, two assist).

For NVU-Johnson, senior outside hitter Christina Betham and freshman outside hitter/right side Vanessa Chavez floored 16 and 14 kills, respectively, while junior setter/defensive specialist Mason Lores doled out 26 assists, posted 10 digs and floored four service aces. Sophomore defensive specialist/outside hitter Jimmi Lynn Williams reinforced the back row defensively with 16 digs.