SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team closed out its season on Saturday at the Skidmore Invitational, falling to Union College, 3-1 (25-15, 25-11, 21-25, 25-17), before dropping a 3-0 (32-30, 25-10, 25-15) decision to the Rochester Institute of Technology.
 
Plattsburgh State ends its season at 7-16 overall, while Union rises to 12-14 and RIT climbs to 15-16 with the wins.
 
It marked the final match for graduate students Alicia Fisher (Brooklyn, N.Y./Science Skills) and Kaitlyn Bjelko (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) and senior right side Jenn Braun (Garrison, N.Y./Walter Panas). Based upon a blanket waiver granted by the NCAA, some student-athletes may have eligibility remaining they would not have had otherwise, and they may choose to utilize it.
 
Union 3, Plattsburgh State 1 (25-15, 25-11, 21-25, 25-17)
 
The Dutchwomen fashioned a .223 hitting percentage in their four-set victory over the Cardinals and owned the upper hand in service aces (13-4). Plattsburgh State outgained Union in blocks (5-3) and digs (55-47).
 
While Union hopped out to a 9-3 lead in the first set, first-year outside hitter/right side Sanaia Estime (West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead) floored three kills as a part of a 5-0 Cardinal spurt to draw Plattsburgh State within one. A 4-0 Dutchwoman surge ultimately created the separation Union needed, as the Dutchwomen took the first, 25-15.
 
Union led big early in the second, but a 5-0 Cardinal run that included two kills and a block by first-year setter/right side Kyleigh Ganz (Phoenix, Ariz./Seton Catholic Prep) cut the gap to 15-10. The Dutchwomen scored 10 of the set's final 11 points to claim the second, 25-11.
 
After the two teams traded points almost the entirety of the third set, Plattsburgh State took a 22-21 lead following a Union attacking error and a Ganz kill. The Cardinals continued to cruise with a service ace by junior setter Emma Rivers (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown West), a Dutchwoman hitting error and a block assist by Ganz and first-year middle hitter Jeannette Ashong (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) and forced a fourth set with a 25-21 victory in the third.
 
Both sides battled in the early going of the fourth set, but Union went on a six-point tear to open up a 15-10 advantage. The Dutchwomen never trailed from that point forward and clinched the match win with a 25-17 triumph in the fourth.
 
Ganz and Bjelko led the Cardinal attack with eight kills apiece, while Ganz and Rivers combined for 27 assists. Ganz completed the double-double with 11 digs, while junior libero Payton Zophy (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) also defended 11 digs. Ashong reinforced Plattsburgh State's front row with four total blocks (two solo, two assist).
 
For Union, first-year outside hitter Shannon McGrath landed 16 kills, while senior setter Haley Kresch distributed 23 assists. First-year defensive specialist/libero Georgia Pool defended 16 digs.
 
RIT 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (32-30, 25-10, 25-15)
 
RIT cruised offensively with a .248 hitting percentage while outgaining Plattsburgh State in service aces (6-2) and digs (55-39). The Cardinals edged the Tigers, 9-8, in blocks.
 
Plattsburgh State controlled the momentum early in the first set, and a kill by Braun capped off a modest 3-0 run that gave the Cardinals a 9-3 lead. RIT clawed back and tied the score late at 21-all, but Plattsburgh State took a 23-21 cushion on back-to-back kills by Fisher. The Tigers answered with three straight points to bring up set point, and the two teams staved off several set points before RIT won two straight rallies on a kill by junior setter/outside hitter Sydney Neff and a Cardinal attacking error to take the first, 32-30.
 
RIT scored nine unanswered points early in the second set and ultimately took the frame, 25-10. Plattsburgh State pulled within five midway through the third on a block assist by Bjelko and Ashong, an Ashong kill and a Tiger attacking error, but the Cardinals were only able to score consecutive points once down the stretch as RIT sealed the match victory with a 25-15 win in the third.
 
Fisher led the Cardinals with eight kills and a career-high-tying eight total blocks (one solo, seven assist). Ganz had 13 assists, six kills and five digs, while Braun posted a career-high-tying six blocks.
 
For RIT, sophomore middle hitter/right side Liv Benard and graduate student middle hitter Calista Gasper registered 14 and 10 kills, respectively, while Neff handed out 38 assists. Benard completed the double-double with 13 digs, while junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Jessica Klein had the match high in digs with 14.