SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Following a five-set thriller last night, the Plattsburgh State women's volleyball team was back in action today at Skidmore, competing in a tri-match against Russell Sage and host Skidmore on Saturday afternoon in the Williamson Sports Center. In their second meeting of the season against the Gators, this time it was Plattsburgh on the winning side as the Cardinals defeated Russell Sage, 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 26-24), before falling to Skidmore, 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-18).
Game 1: Plattsburgh State 3, Russell Sage 0 (27-25, 25-23, 26-24)
In their second meeting of the season, it was the Cardinals who ended up on the winning side, earning a 3-0 victory in yet another closely contested match against the Gators.
Sophomore setter
Emily O'Brien (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) set up the offense with a game-high 33 assists as senior opposite hitter
Darby Collyear (Rockwall, Texas/Rockwall) paced the Cardinals with a team-high 13 kills. Senior outside hitter
Iris Mulvey (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) was next in kills with 10, while first-year middle blocker
Brooke Anderson (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) finished with a career-high nine kills. Defensively, senior outside hitter
Liya Girma (Sachse, Texas/Bishop Lynch) led the team with 13 digs, followed by senior libero
KC Burke (Murrieta, Calif./Northfield Mount Hermon [Mass.]) with 11.
For the Gators, Cassidy Weiher set up the offense with 15 assists, while Mia Merino led the attack with a game-high 14 kills. On defense, Emma Curry recorded a game-high 14 digs, and Jules Morales finished with a game-high three blocks.
The Cardinals had the edge in service aces, 13-4, while Russell Sage held the statistical advantages in digs, 46-39, and blocks, 6-2.
The Cardinals opened an early 6-3 lead after a quick 4-0 burst that featured kills from Anderson and Mulvey. Plattsburgh continued to lead in what was a back-and-forth affair until the Gators took their first lead since 3-2 at 14-13. Russell Sage held on to the lead, but Plattsburgh kept it close until a 4-0 surge, capped by two kills from
Augustina White (Newburgh, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), put the Cardinals in front, 24-23. The Gators tied the set at 24-24 and again at 25-25, but a Collyear kill and a service ace from
Anabella Almeida (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) closed out the 27-25 set win.
The second set was just as close as the first, as back-to-back kills from Mulvey cut the Gators' lead to 12-10. Russell Sage led for most of the set until Plattsburgh used a 4-0 run that included a service ace from
Avery Jackson (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) to tie the set at 19-19. While Russell Sage tied the score at 22-22 late in the set, Plattsburgh used back-to-back points to go up 24-22, and a kill from Collyear closed out the set, 25-23.
In the third and final set, Plattsburgh jumped out to an 8-1 lead following an 8-0 run led by three kills from Anderson. The Gators got back into the set with a run of their own, tying it at 8-8. However, four consecutive points from the Cardinals put Plattsburgh back ahead, 13-9. Later in the set, a Girma kill sparked another scoring burst, pushing the lead to 18-11. Russell Sage responded in turn, tying the set at 20-20 and again at 24-24 before Plattsburgh netted the final two points to secure a 26-24 win and a 3-0 match victory.
Game 2: Skidmore 3, Plattsburgh State 0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-18)
Following the win over Russell Sage, the Cardinals looked to stay perfect on the day against Skidmore. After dropping the opening set, Plattsburgh battled throughout the next two sets but ultimately fell to the Thoroughbreds, 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-18).
Girma led the Cardinal attack with nine kills and added nine digs. O'Brien had another strong performance, finishing with 21 assists to go with seven digs. Up top, Anderson led the way with a game-high three blocks.
For Skidmore, Catriona Hoelperl led the offense with a game-high 25 assists, while Chloe Heitman led the attack with 11 kills, and Marlowe McIntyre added 16 digs.
The Cardinals had a strong showing up front, holding a 4-2 edge in blocks, but Skidmore had the advantage in digs, 52-36, and service aces, 7-2.
The Thoroughbreds held the lead early, as a kill from White cut their lead to 11-6. However, Skidmore remained in control throughout, pushing its lead to 20-11 before a kill from Girma made it 20-12. Another kill from Girma made it 21-13, and a late push from Plattsburgh made the score 24-17, but the Cardinals ultimately dropped the opening set, 25-17.
Plattsburgh came out strong, opening the set with a 4-1 lead after Girma put down a kill before going on to build an early 6-2 advantage. The Cardinals continued to hold a narrow lead, eventually taking a 13-9 advantage thanks to a kill from Anderson. The Thoroughbreds then rallied to even the set at 16-16 and used a 9-2 run to pull away late, taking a 25-18 set win.
Both teams traded points early, with the Cardinals taking a 5-2 lead off an Almeida service ace before the Thoroughbreds responded and went ahead, 9-7. Plattsburgh battled back to even the set at 11-11 after an Anderson kill and continued to stay within striking distance before Skidmore extended its lead to 23-16. Kills from White and Collyear late in the set broke up the Thoroughbreds' scoring run, but Skidmore was ultimately able to close out the set, 25-18, to secure the 3-0 match victory.
With the split, Plattsburgh moves to 5-6 and will be back in action at St. Lawrence on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 6:30 p.m.
