ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team traveled to Bard on Friday night, riding a three-game winning streak, and added a 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-19) win over the Raptors to extend the run to four straight. While play remained close late in the first set, the Cardinals closed it out to take the opening set and set themselves up for the sweep.
Senior outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch) led the Cardinals in kills and digs with 12 in both categories, recording a game-high in kills. At the front of the net, first-year middle blocker
Augustina White (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) stuffed a career- and game-high four blocks. Senior opposite hitter
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) contributed nine kills and two aces. In contrast, senior libero
KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif./Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.]) defended 10 digs and added six assists. Sophomore setter
Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) set up the offense with a game-high 23 assists and added five kills.
For the Raptors, Penelope Joosten Lingo led all players with a game-high 19 digs, while Fernanda Julian recorded 14 assists and Xenia Vassou contributed five kills.
The Cardinals owned a 5-3 advantage in blocks, while Bard held a slight 45-43 edge in digs, with both teams finishing with six service aces.
Following back-to-back kills from
Brooke Anderson (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) and Girma, Plattsburgh held an early 6-3 advantage before Bard tied the score at 6-6 and eventually took an 8-7 lead. The Cardinals responded by tying the set at 8-8 and 9-9 before a 5-0 burst put Plattsburgh ahead, 16-13. The Cardinals held onto their lead late in the set, but Bard battled back to tie it at 20-20. Despite the late momentum from the Raptors, Plattsburgh used back-to-back kills from Collyear to take a 24-21 lead before closing out the set, 25-22.
The second set saw Bard take an early 6-2 lead before the Cardinals answered with a strong 8-0 rally, sparked by a Girma kill, to take a 10-6 advantage. Both teams traded points from there as Bard used a quick burst to take a 15-12 lead midway through the set. Late in the set, Plattsburgh flipped the script as the Raptors led 20-17, but a decisive 5-0 push, featuring a kill from
Haylee Sullivan (Hudson Falls, N.Y./Hudson Falls), gave the Cardinals a 22-20 lead. Plattsburgh went on to take the set, 25-21.
Plattsburgh took control early in the third set as a 5-0 run followed by a 3-0 surge, featuring kills from Sullivan, O'Brien, and Collyear, put the Cardinals ahead 9-5. The Cardinals continued to add to their lead as back-to-back points from Girma made the score 15-9, while kills from Girma and Collyear extended the advantage to 20-15. Bard chipped away late, coming within three at 22-19, but a kill from Collyear closed out the set, 25-19, and secured the 3-0 match victory.
With the win, Plattsburgh State rises to 9-7 overall and will be back in action tomorrow, Oct. 3, at Union for a tri-match, taking on New Paltz at 1 p.m. and Union at 3 p.m.
