PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team opened State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play at home after a 2-0 start on the road, matching up against the Red Dragons of Oneonta on Saturday afternoon. After a strong opening set, the Cardinals battled back to tie the match at 2-2 before ultimately falling 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12) in a five-set thriller.
The Cardinals had three players finish with double-digit kills, led by senior outside hitter
Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood), who recorded 15 kills and 13 digs for a double-double. Senior opposite hitter
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) and senior outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch) also posted double-doubles, each finishing with 12 kills. Collyear added a career-high 20 digs, while Girma contributed 23 digs. Sophomore setter
Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) orchestrated the attack with a career-high 45 assists, adding 10 digs and six kills for a double-double. Defensively, senior libero
KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif./Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.]) paced the Cardinals with a game-high 26 digs, while first-year middle blocker
Augustina White (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) recorded a career-high and game-high seven blocks.
For the Red Dragons, Layla Pertchik set up the offense with a game-high 49 assists, Keira Welsh led the attack with a game-high 18 kills, and Lillian Slattery contributed 25 digs.
The Cardinals dominated from the service line, holding a 13-4 advantage in service aces, and also led 9-5 in blocks. Oneonta held a narrow 106-104 edge in digs.
Thanks to an early 5-0 burst led by Collyear, who contributed three points, the Cardinals opened the first set with a 9-4 lead. Midway through the frame, Oneonta mounted a rally to pull within one at 16-15. Plattsburgh responded with a strong 6-0 run featuring three points from Girma to take a 22-15 advantage. Collyear then recorded the set-clinching kill, giving the Cardinals a 25-18 win.
The Red Dragons jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the second set before Plattsburgh battled back to tie the score at 6-6. Oneonta answered with another scoring stretch to move ahead 15-8 and later extended its advantage to 18-9. Back-to-back kills from Mulvey and White helped the Cardinals cut into the deficit, making it 19-14. Plattsburgh continued to battle, pulling within 22-20, but the Red Dragons held on to win the set 25-23.
After both teams traded points early in the third set, a Mulvey kill tied the score at 9-9 before Oneonta moved ahead 13-9. The Cardinals kept the set close and briefly took a 19-18 lead following a 4-0 surge highlighted by two Girma kills. However, the Red Dragons responded with a run of their own, moving ahead 23-19 before closing out the set, 25-22.
Following some back-and-forth play in the fourth set, Collyear hammered down a kill to give Plattsburgh an 11-7 advantage. Kills from Girma and
Brooke Anderson (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) extended the Cardinals' lead to 16-12. Oneonta rallied to tie the score at 20-20, but Plattsburgh responded with a quick surge sparked by a Girma kill to take a 24-20 lead. Despite a late push from the Red Dragons, White closed out the set with a kill, securing a 25-23 victory and forcing a decisive fifth set.
Oneonta controlled the fifth set early, building a 7-3 lead before Plattsburgh cut the deficit to 7-5. The Cardinals continued to battle, pulling within one at 10-9 and again at 13-12 following a Collyear kill. However, the Red Dragons scored the final two points to take the set 15-12 and secure the 3-2 match victory.
With the loss, Plattsburgh State drops to 11-10 overall and 2-1 in SUNYAC play. The Cardinals return to action Friday, Oct. 23, hosting Cortland for a 6 p.m. match.
