PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Following their first program win over RIT this past weekend, the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team looked to stay in the win column, matching up against Norwich in Memorial Hall on Tuesday night. After a close first set, the Cardinals dominated the rest of the way en route to a 3-0 (25-20, 25-8, 25-16) win over Norwich.
Sophomore setter
Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) led a strong attack with a game-high 27 assists while also collecting six digs and a game-high three blocks. Senior outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch) led the Cardinals with a game-high 10 kills to go with seven digs and a game-high seven service aces. The Cardinals also got help on offense from first-year middle blocker
Brooke Anderson (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury), who finished with six kills. First-year middle blocker
Augustina White (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) also finished with a game-high three blocks, while Girma added two.
For the Cadets, Ainslee Vargas set up the attack with eight assists, while Isabella Vasapolli led the team with five kills. Kelsey Slane led all players with a game-high eight digs.
The Cardinals dominated in service aces, 16-2, and blocks, 6-1, while they just edged the Cadets in digs, 26-24.
The Cadets jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the first set before a quick 3-0 burst put Plattsburgh in front, 4-3. After tying at 4-4 and 5-5, the Cardinals scored three consecutive points, capped by a Girma service ace, to take an 8-5 lead. Plattsburgh continued to add to its lead as another run, finished off by a
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) kill, pushed the advantage to 14-9. Norwich battled back late and came within three, but the Cardinals' offense kept rolling as an Anderson kill put the finishing touch on a 25-20 set win.
The second set was all Plattsburgh as the Cardinals' offense started hot, rattling off a 5-0 run that featured kills from
Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) and O'Brien to go up 8-1. Another big run put the Cardinals up 14-2 as Mulvey added two more kills. Plattsburgh's offense didn't lose any steam as a 5-0 burst, capped by an
Elena Stavroulakis (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) service ace, made the score 19-3 before the Cardinals eventually took the second set, 25-8.
It was Plattsburgh again that had the jump on the Cadets, using a 9-1 run to open the third and final set. Norwich's offense rattled off a couple of runs to make the score 12-7, but Plattsburgh responded and pushed its lead to 19-9 following a 4-0 surge sparked by a Collyear kill. The rest of the way, the Cardinals continued to hold the lead as
Haylee Sullivan (Hudson Falls, N.Y./Hudson Falls) put down a kill to finish a 25-16 set win and secure the 3-0 match victory.
With the win, Plattsburgh State rises to 4-4 overall and will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 18, against Vermont State University (VTSU) Castleton at 6 p.m.
