SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team nearly won the third set in a 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-19) loss to Nazareth on day one of the Skidmore Classic.

Sophomore right-side hitter Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall) led the Cardinals in points with seven off of a seven-kill night. Sophomore outside hitter Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas / Bishop Lynch) was the next top scorer for the Cardinals with six points off of four kills and two service aces. Girma also contributed on the defensive end with seven digs to match seven digs from sophomore defensive specialist KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif. / Northfield Mount Hermon) First-year setter Anabella Almeida (Pine Bush, N.Y. / Pine Bush) finished the night with eight assists setting up the Cardinal attack.
 
For the Golden Flyers, Leah Fusilli led all players in points with nine off of seven kills and two service aces. Defensively for the Golden Flyers, Ella Kules led all players in digs with 10 to go along with 18 assists for a double-double.

The Golden Flyers hit .250 (31-12-76) for the match and held the upper hand in service aces 10-5. The Cardinals came away with 21 digs on the night compared to 36 for the Golden Flyers. The Golden Flyers' front row held the edge in blocks 3-1.
 
Plattsburgh moves to 0-4 overall and closes out the Skidmore Classic tomorrow Sep. 7 with matches against Skidmore and Connecticut College at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. respectively. Nazareth moves to 2-2 overall and next plays Connecticut College and Oneonta at the Skidmore Classic tomorrow Sep. 7 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. respectively.

After trailing 3-2 to start the first set, the Cardinals fell behind 8-2 after a 6-0 Golden Flyers run led by Ruth Jackson with three service aces. A kill from Collyear ended the run as the Cardinals scored back-to-back points and made the score 8-4 Golden Flyers. Three straight points from the Golden Flyers extended their lead to 12-6. The Cardinals responded with two of their own and came within 12-8 but the Golden Flyers pulled away and won 25-15.

After an early 2-0 lead for the Cardinals in the second set, the Golden Flyers went on a 4-0 run and took the lead 4-2. A service ace from Lexi Carfi (Syracuse, N.Y./Liverpool) tied the game momentarily before the Golden Flyers went on a 7-0 run and regained the lead 12-5. The Cardinals scored back-to-back points and made the score 12-7 Golden Flyers but couldn't string along any runs and ultimately fell in the second set 25-13.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead before a service error from Almeida put the Golden Flyers on the board. The Cardinals scored three straight capped off by a kill from Collyear that made the score 5-1 Cardinals. The Golden Flyers battled back and a kill from Jackson tied the game at 10 before Girma recorded back-to-back points and made the score 12-10 Cardinals. Each time the Cardinals put points on the board, the Golden Flyers responded in turn but once the Golden Flyers took the lead 17-16 they didn't give it back. The Golden Flyers closed out the set on a 9-3 run ultimately winning 25-19 to secure the 3-0 victory.