The Plattsburgh State women’s volleyball team has seen better days as they have fallen to ninth place out of ten teams in the SUNYAC conference. Although times are tough, there is a saving grace to be found in freshman Sam Colombo.
The Patchogue native first made it known that she was a force to be reckoned with on the court during her time at Bellport High School. It was there that Colombo earned an abundance of varsity letters as well All-County and All-Conference honors during her six seasons.
Colombo’s athletic ability is not confined to the lines of the court however. She was also involved in track and field at Bellport and earned one varsity letter throughout her two seasons. Her athletic flexibility proves to be helping her succeed in the college setting here at PSUC.
To view more videos, visit our Multimedia page.“She’s good at ball control, shes’ good on offense, she’s a positive attitude.” head coach, Jake Bluhm said. “She’s the kind of kid that we’re looking to bring in to make this team better looking forward.”Colombo has done just that in her debut season. Colombo has a kill ratio of 2.83, averages 3.49 digs per set as well as a 3.23 points per set ratio. These are the three categories that Colombo is currently leading the Cards in. However, her dominance is not limited to the confinements of the PSUC roster. She is currently ranked fourth in the SUNYAC conference for kills per set. Being ranked fourth in anything is impressive enough, but Colombo is especially impressive because she is a freshman behind four seniors in that category.
“She’s a dynamic player that does a lot for us on the court.” Bluhm said. “She’s still young though and has a lot to learn.”
The first year student is a fan of learning, on and off the court. Colombo is currently majoring in biology and she explains that although it is hard, she likes the challenge. This mindset of always being up for a challenge is evident in almost every aspect of Colombo’s life, and it proved to be helpful when transitioning from high school to college.
“College is a lot more extreme in every aspect,” assistant coach, Matt Lein said. “Things will get harder as you grow, and it makes you really push yourself.”
The young phenomenon will look to push herself both on the field as well as in the classroom in her remaining years. She hopes to capture a championship title with her team, while at the same time aspiring to be involved in the field of pediatrics. No matter what she looks to achieve, her strive to always be better will lead her and the Cards to great things in the years to come.
Email Kevin Morley at kevin.morley@cardinalpointsonline.com
