PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – With the match tied at 3-3, senior Megan Phelps (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) was able to defeat her opponent at No. 6 singles and clinch the win for Plattsburgh State women's tennis, beating the Russell Sage Gators. The Cards, who were trailing 3-1, won the final three singles matches of the day to earn the non-conference win.

Plattsburgh State moves to 2-0 with the win, and next heads to SUNY New Paltz on Saturday, Sept. 14 for a conference road match against the defending league champs. Russell Sage falls to 0-1 and next plays at home on Saturday, Sept. 7 taking on Brockport in Empire 8 action.

In a thrilling match, the Cardinals found themselves down 1-0 after doubles play, losing quickly in both No. 1 and No. 2 doubles before Sophia Gottschall (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) and Phelps narrowly lost 7-6 (8-6) at No. 3 doubles. With the new NCAA rules, the three doubles win resulted in just one point toward the new score, as the new NCAA rules put a larger emphasis on the outcome of singles matches.

In singles action, the Gators picked up a win at the No. 1 slot to take a commanding 2-0 lead, before Gottschall won her game at No. 4 singles 6-1, 6-0 to put her team back in the match trailing 2-1. A victory for Russell Sage at No. 2 singles gave them a 3-1 lead, meaning one more match win would give them the victory, but the Cardinals were more than up to the task of the deficit.

Jacklin Mitchell (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Peru) got the comeback started winning 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 3 singles as she continues to dominate at the collegiate level, moving to 12-1 in her career. Kristy Cantwell (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Plattsburgh) won a tight match at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 5-7, 10-7, setting up Phelps to be the hero at No. 6 singles. A tiebreaker in the first set for Phelps went her way, winning 7-6 (7-4), and then she followed the close win up with a 6-2 second set victory, clinching the 4-3 win for Plattsburgh.