Jeannette Ashong (14) attempts to block a spike by Potsdam’s Jacqueline Fornabia at Memorial Hall Gymnasium Oct. 11. The sophomore is second on the team in total points with 167.
By Rebekah Riley
The conference playoffs are imminent. Will the Cardinals be able to make it in? The Plattsburgh Cardinals women’s volleyball team currently stands 10-9 overall, but in the conference stand 2-5. After a week break, Plattsburgh is back in SUNYAC play, losing to the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons 2-3 and the SUNY New Paltz Hawks 0-3.
The Cards traveled to SUNY Oneonta Oct. 20. The Cardinals held a 2-0 set lead over the Red Dragons, but then proceeded to lose three straight.
In the first set, the Cards won 25-21. This set was strong for the Cards, playing tough ball, only losing the lead once.
The second set was the same as the first and the Cards won again 25-21.
The Red Dragons came back and won the third set. The Cards had a strong lead of 18-11, but the Red Dragons hit a mean streak, scoring nine points making the score 20-18. Oneonta eventually won 25-22.
The Cards and Red Dragons opened the fourth set 5-5. The red dragons pulled away and scored five consecutive points. From there it was a rally. Oneonta never relinquished the lead, but Plattsburgh pulled within one or two on multiple occasions. The Red Dragons took the victory 19-25.
The fifth and final set, the Red Dragons secured its win, taking the set 15-9 with a consistent back and forth game. Oneonta came back.
The Cards traveled to SUNY New Paltz Oct. 21. The Cards were taken down quickly by the Hawks in three sets.
The first set was quick, with the Hawks winning 9-25. Early on, the Hawks scored 13 consecutive points. The lead was too large for the Cardinals to overcome. The Hawks won on a seven-point streak.
In the second set, the Cards picked it up, but lost to the Hawks 19-25. The Cardinals never held a lead, but it was an improvement.
The Cards opened the third set 5-0, and battled to a 19-19 score. Four straight points by the Hawks sealed the game.
Head Coach Kelsea Healis touched on both of these games and said they were not what she expected.
“I think we could have been more consistent in earning our own points, but with Oneonta and the third set, we kind of started lacking in fundamentals,” Healis said
The Cards have only two more SUNYAC games left in the season, and are hoping to secure a spot in the playoffs.
“I’m looking for us to earn our way into the playoffs this weekend. We needed to have it done Friday. Hopefully, this week we can put the girls to work and then kind of clean up a lot of the things that we just forgot about and to be able to finish that out this weekend,” Healis said.
Darby Collyear (left) and Head Coach Kelsea Healis (right) talk during a break in play at Memorial Hall Gymnasium Oct. 11.
Senior Payton Zophy had a great game against SUNY Oneonta. During that game Zophy had beaten her career-high record of 38 digs with 47.
Zophy is still looking to reach her goal of 1,000 digs. She currently has 985.
“I think this weekend might be when I hit it, which is super exciting especially since i’ll be home,” Zophy said.
The Cardinals will be playing its Senior Day this weekend against Fredonia. The game gives added motivation for its playoff run.
Jeannette Ashong (left) and Darby Collyear (right) celebrate at Memorial Hall Gym Oct. 11.
“I’m just excited to have everyone there, like friends, family, my parents and my sister coming out. I would love to have a win. I think we’re totally capable of beating Fredonia if we play our game. It’s bittersweet because it’ll be the end. I think we could go out with a bang and end up winning one if not two games that weekend,” Zophy said.
Senior Emma Rivers who also has a record she will be achieving soon, she is close to achieving her 1,000 assists soon. She currently has 997.
Rivers touched on the feelings she and her teammates were feeling after they started losing to SUNY Oneonta. The team now knows where it needs to improve.
“I would say, we are just playing frantically and we got too comfortable with ourselves and we were just scared to play our game and stay aggressive, because we didn’t want to make any more errors. That led to us waiting for them to make the mistakes that they weren’t going to,” Rivers said.
Rivers was also named a Cardinal Athlete of the Week by Plattsburgh State Athletics Oct. 24.
“It feels really good because I know how much effort I put in, during practice and games and it just feels good to know that other people recognize that,” Rivers said.
Coming up next for the women’s volleyball team, will be hosting the Buffalo State Bengals today, Friday, Oct. 27. Plattsburgh will then celebrate its seniors against the Fredonia Blue Devils Oct. 28. Players recognized include Seniors Zophy, Rivers, Shannon Fitzpatrick and Lily White.
