POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 (25-11, 22-25, 25-14, 22-25, 15-10) decision to the Potsdam Bears in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action. After splitting the first four sets forcing a fifth set, the Bears won the fifth and final set 15-10 to secure a 3-2 match victory in a five-set thriller.

Sophomore right-side hitter Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall) led the Cardinal attack with 13 points registering 11 kills and four block assists. Sophomore outside hitter Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas / Bishop Lynch) contributed 11 kills and eight digs. Junior setter Kyleigh Ganz (Phoenix, Ariz. / Seton Catholic Prep) had a great night distributing the ball picking up 22 assists along with three digs and two service aces. On the defensive end junior defensive specialists Bridget Ryan (Mattituck, N.Y. / Mattituck) collected 13 digs to go with one service ace while junior outside hitter Maggie Lyon (Ballston Spa, N.Y. / Ballston Spa) had four block assists and one solo block for a total of five blocks on the night.

For the Bears, Megan Henry led them in points with 18 off of 17 kills and a service ace while also contributing with 18 digs for a double-double. Alyssa Adams also had a double-double on the night with 14 digs and 13 kills.

The Cardinals had a 6-1 advantage in blocks while the Bears held the upper hand in service aces 17-11 and digs 75-57.  

Plattsburgh State moves to 3-18 (0-7 SUNYAC) and next travels to Smith College for the Smith Classic on Saturday, Oct. 26 with matches against Bowdoin (2 p.m.) and Husson (4 p.m.). Potsdam moves to 11-8 (3-4 SUNYAC) and next hosts Oneonta on Friday, Nov. 1.

The first set was even throughout to start after a service ace from Melina Morillo (Bronx, N.Y. / Bronx Latin) made the score 6-4 Bears, but the Bears poured on six straight and took an 11-4 lead. Katie Salphine (Le Roy, N.Y. / Le Roy) put down a kill to end the run but a 3-0 run from the Bears pushed their lead to double digits at 15-5. The Cardinals responded with back-to-back points capped off by a kill from Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y. / Longwood) but a four-point swing for the Bears gave them a commanding 19-7 lead as they went on to win the first set 25-11.

The two teams battled back and forth early in the second set with neither team having a lead of more than two until the Cardinals went on a 5-0 surge lead by two service aces from KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif. / Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)) and took a 17-12 lead. The Bears responded with six straight points and grabbed an 18-17 lead. Both teams continued to battle back and forth until the score was tied at 22 and the Cardinals ripped off three straight points that began and ended with a kill from Lexi Carfi (Syracuse, N.Y. / Liverpool) to secure the 25-22 win in the second set.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 6-3 lead to start the third set powered by a 4-0 run which saw a service ace from Lyon and a kill from Collyear. Midway through the third set a 3-0 run from the Bears gave them a 13-8 lead and another Bears' run extended their lead to 16-9. Carfi smashed down a kill and ended the run but once again the Bears pulled off another run and took a 20-10 lead en route to a 25-14 third set victory.

Early on in the fourth set a service error on the Cardinals followed by two points from the Cardinals made the score 8-5 Cardinals however a five-point swing for the Bears gave them a 10-8 lead. The momentum went back and forth as neither team led by more than three but a 5-0 burst from the Cardinals led by two kills from Girma gave them a 23-20 lead they would not relinquish. After the Bears came within one, a kill from Girma and an error on the Bears were the finishing touches on a 25-22 fourth set win.

A kill from Girma followed by a service error on the Cardinals knotted the score at 3 all to start the fifth set. After a service error from the Bears made the score 8-7 Bears, the Bears went on a 5-0 tear and took a 13-7 lead. The Cardinals responded with back-to-back points started by a kill from Lyon, but the Bears ended the set on a 2-1 run to solidify a 15-10 win in the fifth and final set for a 3-2 match victory.