POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team traveled to Potsdam for a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) matchup, looking to keep its playoff hopes alive in the final week of regular-season action. The Cardinals took a close opening set before taking control of the final two, earning a 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-16) victory Wednesday night.
Senior opposite hitter
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) and senior outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch) paced the Cardinal offense with nine kills each. Sophomore setter
Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) set up the attack with a game-high 24 assists to go with seven digs. Defensively, sophomore libero/defensive specialist
Elena Stavroulakis (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) led the back row with 12 digs to help Plattsburgh hold a 42-40 edge in the category, while first-year middle blocker
Augustina White (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) was a force at the net with four blocks. The Cardinals also controlled service aces, finishing with a 6-3 advantage.
For the Bears, Rachel Madore led all players with 17 digs, while Ella Murtagh finished with nine kills. Ashley Shiu held down the front of the net with five blocks to help Potsdam claim a 7-5 advantage in the category.
The Cardinals trailed early in the opening set, falling behind 6-1 before O'Brien put down a kill to make it 6-2 and stop the Potsdam run. Plattsburgh's offense picked up momentum, cutting the deficit to 8-4 after a Girma kill before putting together a 5-0 run to even the score at 10-10. Both teams continued to trade points until the Cardinals took the lead for good at 18-16 on back-to-back points from Collyear. A 3-0 burst pushed the advantage to 21-17, and consecutive kills from
Brooke Anderson (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) and Girma helped Plattsburgh close out the set, 25-22.
Both teams battled back and forth in the second set before the Cardinals broke through with a 7-0 rally featuring kills from Stavroulakis, Collyear and White to take a 15-10 lead. Plattsburgh stayed on the attack, extending its advantage to 18-11. Girma and Anderson added back-to-back kills to push the lead to 21-16 before the Cardinals closed out the set, 25-21, to move within one set of the victory.
The Cardinals took control in the third and final set, jumping out to a 13-1 lead after a 5-0 run that featured three service aces from
KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif./Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.]) and kills from Collyear and Anderson. Plattsburgh maintained its advantage, leading 18-10 before closing out the set, 25-16, to secure the 3-0 victory.
With the win, Plattsburgh State improves to 12-14 overall and 3-5 in conference play and will close out the regular season at home, hosting Canton on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. Before the match, the Cardinals will celebrate Senior Day and honor their four seniors.
