NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team split a pair of matches at the Smith Classic on Saturday at Ainsworth Gymnasium, falling to Bowdoin, 3-0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-17), before defeating Husson 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-18).

Plattsburgh State rises to 4-19 with the results and are back in action at home when they host defending SUNYAC Champions New Paltz on Friday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. Bowdoin rises to 12-8 with the win and next play Connecticut College on Friday, Nov. 1, while Husson drops to 6-14 with the results from today and are back in action against Maine Maritime Academy on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

Game One: Bowdoin 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-13, 25-15, 25-17)

The Cardinals matched the Polar Bears in blocks with 2 while the Polar Bears held the upper hand in aces 13-5 and had a slight advantage in digs 28-23.

Sophomore outside hitter Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas / Bishop Lynch) led the offensive attack with seven kills for seven points, hitting .222 over the three sets of action while junior setter Kyleigh Ganz (Phoenix, Ariz. / Seton Catholic Prep) distributed 20 assists. On the defensive end sophomore defensive specialist KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif. / Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)) and junior right-side hitter Melina Morillo (Bronx, N.Y. / Bronx Latin) both had five digs. Sophomore right-side hitter Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall) and junior outside hitter Maggie Lyon (Ballston Spa, N.Y. / Ballston Spa) both picked up one block each.

For the Polar Bears, Corrine Lamond led the attack with 10 kills and defensively Anna Yeh picked up 12 digs while Paige Butler distributed 17 assists.

The first set began with eight straight Bowdoin points, as five Skye LaMendola kills powered the Polar Bears to an early lead. Two service aces from Morillo capped off a 3-0 run for the Cardinals before two kills from Lexi Carfi (Syracuse, N.Y. / Liverpool) powered a 4-0 run and made the score 13-9 Polar Bears. A quick 3-0 run for the Polar Bears pushed their lead to 18-10. It was another run for the Polar Bears that extended their lead to 21-11 before they cruised to a 25-13 first-set win.

The Polar Bears opened the second set with an 8-1 lead before back-to-back points from the Cardinals made the score 8-3. It was back-to-back points again for the Cardinals as Collyear pounded down a kill followed by a service ace from Morillo that made the score 9-5 Polar Bears. Both teams traded 3-0 runs which made the score 12-8 Polar Bears. The Polar Bears ripped off four straight points and extended their lead to 19-11 and the Cardinals couldn't string along any runs and fell in the second set 25-15.

The Cardinals opened the third and final set with a 6-4 lead before six straight Bowdoin points put the Polar Bears ahead 10-6. Back-to-back points from the Cardinals brought them within two but another run for the Polar Bears pushed their lead to 13-8. After pulling within five points, back-to-back points from the Polar Bears extended their lead to 20-13. The Cardinals didn't go away as a kill from Girma and a service ace from Carfi made the score 22-17 however the Polar Bears scored the next three points winning the final set 25-17 to secure a 3-0 match victory.

Game Two: Plattsburgh State 3, Husson 0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-18)

The Cardinals owned the upper hand in service aces (14-7) and blocks (4-1) and matched the Eagles in digs with 33.

Carfi led the offensive attack with a career-high 11 points off of a career-high 11 kills with a. 360 hitting percentage. Girma had 10.5 points on the night with five kills, a career-high five service aces, and a block assists to go with 11 digs. Junior defensive specialists Bridget Ryan (Mattituck, N.Y. / Mattituck) had nine digs while Ganz had 12 assists and Burke had four service aces for four points. Defensively, Lyon had two blocks while Collyear and junior outside hitter Sanaia Estime (West Hempstead, N.Y. / West Hempstead) both had a block assist.

For the Eagles, Janna Preskorn led the attack with a game-high 13 kills and Alyvia McIntyre had a game-high 18 assists.

The first set started with a 5-0 surge from the Cardinals powered by two service aces from Girma followed by back-to-back points as they opened up a 7-2 lead. Another run from the Cardinals put them ahead 11-3 but the Eagles responded with a run of their own, scoring five straight which cut the Cardinals' lead to 11-8. The Cardinals kept up the pressure and went on a 6-0 burst which saw a kill from Collyear and a service ace from Burke and made the score 17-8. Four straight Husson points made the score 20-15 however the Cardinals responded with three of their own and pushed their lead to 23-15 before ultimately winning the first set 25-18.

The second set began with four straight Husson points as the Eagles opened up a 5-1 lead. The Cardinals responded with four of their own behind two kills from Carfi and two kills from Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y. / Longwood) that tied the score at 5. Neither team had the advantage as they each held a lead of no more than two until the Cardinals broke through with a 5-0 surge which saw two kills from Carfi and a service ace from Anabella Almeida (Pine Bush, N.Y. / Pine Bush) that made the score 20-16 Cardinals. A kill from Kimberly Daniels made the score 22-18 and brought the Eagles within four but the Cardinals scored the next three points to win the second set 25-18.

A quarter of the way through the third and final set a service ace from Girma gave the Cardinals an 8-4 lead. Back-to-back points from the Eagles brought them within one but a kill from Carfi started an 8-0 run for the Cardinals and gave them a commanding 17-8 lead. The Eagles battled back after a 4-0 run made the score 19-14 before the Cardinals scored back-to-back points twice capped off by service aces from Girma and Ryan respectively which put them ahead 24-16. After back-to-back points from the Eagles made the score 24-18, Mulvey smashed down a kill putting the finishing touches on a 25-18 third set win for a 3-0 match victory.