PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Riding a two-game winning streak, the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team looked to make it three in a row in action against Vermont State University (VTSU) Castleton at home in Memorial Hall, but ultimately fell 3-2 (14-25, 25-23, 25-20, 11-25, 15-10) in a Friday night thriller. After winning the opening set, the Cardinals fell behind 2-1 and forced a fifth set, but couldn't complete the comeback.
The Cardinals finished with three double-doubles as senior outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch), senior opposite hitter
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall), and sophomore setter
Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) all flashed as two-way players. Girma led the offense with 16 kills, along with a team-high 24 digs and four service aces. Not far behind was Collyear, who had 10 kills and a career-high 18 digs, while O'Brien set up the offense with a career-high 37 assists, 17 digs, and nine kills, just missing the triple-double. Up top, first-year middle blocker
Augustina White (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy) led the way with a career- and game-high four blocks.
For the Spartans, Jocelyn Ray led the team with 18 kills, Alondra Rojas set up the offense with 35 assists, and Nicolette Vaughn led the defense with 25 digs.
Plattsburgh controlled every statistical category, leading the way in digs, 99-90, service aces, 11-6, and blocks, 7-1.
VTSU-Castleton netted the first point of the opening set, but it was the Cardinals who began to pull away thanks to a 5-0 run, capped by kills from
Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) and Girma that made the score 10-4. The Spartans responded and came within two at 12-10, but another scoring burst from Plattsburgh featuring kills from Mulvey and
Brooke Anderson (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) pushed the Cardinals' lead to 20-11. VTSU-Castleton's offense was limited throughout the rest of the set as a Girma kill sealed a 25-14 set win.
The second set was much closer as both teams battled throughout, and halfway through the set, a Girma kill put Plattsburgh ahead 16-13. However, VTSU-Castleton tied the set at 20-20, 21-21, 22-22, and 23-23 before netting the final two points to win the second set, 25-23.
In the third set, both teams traded the lead back and forth as a block assist from O'Brien and White tied the set at 16-16. The Spartans regained the lead shortly after, and while a kill from Girma pulled Plattsburgh within three, VTSU-Castleton went on to win 25-20.
The Cardinals dominated the fourth set, opening a 6-5 lead following back-to-back kills from Collyear and Girma before an 8-0 run stretched that lead to 14-6. The Spartans stifled the Cardinals momentarily, but an O'Brien service ace put the set out of reach at 18-8. The Cardinals ended the set by scoring four consecutive points, with kills from Collyear, O'Brien, and
Elena Stavroulakis (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore) helping Plattsburgh take the fourth set, 25-11, and force a fifth and final set.
After a Girma kill tied the final set at 8-8, the Spartans used a 3-0 burst to take an 11-8 lead and never surrendered it. A Mulvey kill stopped VTSU-Castleton's run momentarily, but the Spartans ended the set on a 4-1 run to earn a 15-10 set win and secure the 3-2 match victory.
With the loss, Plattsburgh State drops to 4-5 and will be back in action tomorrow, Sept. 19, at Skidmore, facing off against Russell Sage for the second time at 1 p.m. before playing host Skidmore at 3 p.m.
