PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Senior setter
Emma Rivers (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown West) achieved her 1,000th career assist, but the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (25-19, 25-12, 25-16) State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) decision to Buffalo State on Friday evening at Memorial Hall.
Rivers entered the match needing three assists to reach 1,000 for her career, and she met the milestone early in the first set. She becomes just the 11th student-athlete in program history to achieve 1,000 assists during a career and finished the evening with 1,009 career assists.
Buffalo State hit .274 (34-11-84) for the match and finished with the upper hand in service aces (14-5) and blocks (5-2), while Plattsburgh State owned a 38-34 advantage in digs.
Plattsburgh State falls to 10-10 overall (2-6 SUNYAC) with the loss and hosts Fredonia tomorrow at 1 p.m. in a SUNYAC-finale match for both teams. If the Cardinals win that match and Oswego State falls to SUNY Geneseo, Plattsburgh State will earn the final spot into the SUNYAC Tournament. Buffalo State rises to 14-11 overall (4-4 SUNYAC) with the win and visits SUNY Potsdam tomorrow at 1 p.m.
The two teams went point for point early in the first set, with a kill by first-year outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch) handing the Cardinals a 6-4 lead and a kill by sophomore setter/right side
Kyleigh Ganz (Phoenix, Ariz./Seton Catholic Prep) putting Plattsburgh State in front, 9-7. Buffalo State pulled away with a 7-1 run, but Plattsburgh State rattled off five unanswered points late to cut the gap to 22-17. The Bengals scored three of the set's final five points to claim the first, 25-19.
While Buffalo State hopped out to a 5-1 advantage in the second set, a 4-0 Plattsburgh State tear that included two kills by first-year right side
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) knotted the score at 5-all. The Bengals went on an 8-1 surge midway through the set to gain separation and wound up winning the second, 25-12.
Plattsburgh State reversed a 7-3 deficit with a 6-2 run, and a kill by senior libero
Payton Zophy (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) tied the score at 9-all. Six unanswered Bengal points midway through the frame gave Buffalo State the cushion it needed and sealed the match win with a 25-16 victory in the third.
Collyear keyed the Cardinal attack with eight kills, while Rivers distributed 12 assists. Zophy defended 11 digs to lead the back row defensively.
For Buffalo State, junior outside hitter Samantha Coakley, junior middle hitter Eden Harrison and first-year outside hitter Ella Wittman each posted eight kills, while sophomore setter Karlie Shaffer handed out 15 assists. Junior middle hitter McCartney Geartz reinforced the front row defensively with four total blocks (one solo, three assist).
