MORISVILLE, N.Y. – After dropping the opening set, the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team bounced back for a 3-1 (18-25, 27-25, 25-23, 25-22) State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) win over Morrisville. Junior outside hitter Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y. / Longwood) paced the Cardinal offense with 14 kills to go with 16 digs for a double-double in the winning effort.

First-year setter Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y. / Monroe-Woodbury) set up the Cardinal attack with 15 assists, while junior right-side hitter Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas / Rockwall) was also a beneficiary of those assists with eight kills. Sophomore Anabella Almeida (Pine Bush, N.Y. / Pine Bush) finished the night with 13 assists, and junior outside hitter Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas / Bishop Lynch) recorded six kills. Defensively, it was Girma who led the way for Plattsburgh on the back row with a game-high 18 digs, and she got support up top from senior Kyleigh Ganz (Phoenix, Ariz. / Seton Catholic Prep) with a solo block. Senior libero Bridget Ryan (Mattituck, N.Y. / Mattituck) contributed 13 digs on the defensive end.  

For the Mustangs, Isabelle Eskeirka led all players in kills with 15, Keely Shearer led all players in assists with 19, and Kayla Sheasby defended 15 digs.

Overall, for the match, the Cardinals had a slight 65-63 edge in digs and a 7-3 advantage in service aces, but it was the Mustangs who had the upper hand up top with a 5-1 advantage in blocks.

With the win, Plattsburgh State rises to 9-14 (2-6 SUNYAC) and will next travel to Cortland tomorrow, Nov. 1, for a 1 p.m. match. Morrisville falls to 13-11 (3-5 SUNYAC) and next hosts Potsdam tomorrow, Nov. 1.

After a kill from Muvley and a service ace from Ryan gave the Cardinals an early 4-2 lead, the Mustangs went on a 5-0 run and took a 7-5 lead. Kills from Ganz and Mulvey tied the score at 7 and 8, but after back-to-back points gave Morrisville the lead, the Mustangs never relinquished it and ultimately took the first set 25-18.

Despite an early 9-2 deficit, the Cardinals stormed back using a 4-0 surge that saw kills from Girma and Katie Salphine (Le Roy, N.Y. / Le Roy) to come within two. The Cardinals kept it close the rest of the way before scoring three straight points to take a late 24-23 lead. The Mustangs tied the score at 24 and again at 25, but a kill from Ganz set the Cardinals up for the win as Plattsburgh closed out the second set with a 27-25 victory.

Trailing 7-5 early in the third set after a Girma service ace, the Cardinals flipped the script halfway through the set thanks to a 5-0 burst featuring two service aces from KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif. / Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.)) that tied the game at 15. After five straight points from the Cardinals, Plattsburgh found itself with a 21-18 lead. Late in the set, Collyear put the finishing touches on the win, putting down two kills to secure a 25-23 set win for the Cardinals.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth affair until three straight points from Plattsburgh gave the Cardinals a 13-9 lead. The Mustangs battled back late and came within one on multiple occasions as Plattsburgh led 23-22. A Ganz kill had the Cardinals one point away from the set win, and Plattsburgh left no doubt and took the fourth and final set 25-22 to secure a 3-1 match victory.